WereWyvern
by Said The Liar 13
Summary: Legend speaks of a terrifying beast whose very name strikes fear into the faint of heart and whose bite curses the victim for all eternity. But when it turns out these legends aren't just stories, one of our heroes will pay the price. Character whump and bromance, no slash.
1. Prologue A Story to Tell

**Hi guys! So I'm back! I've had this idea for a long time, but I didn't want to start it until after I finished my first story, **_**The Bet**_**. As always, I hope you enjoy.**

**The Prologue takes place after Season 4 but the **_**actual**_** story takes place between Season 3 and Season 4...so Lancelot isn't dead and Uther's still alive (unfortunately). Possible reveal fic...you'll just have to wait and see. :)**

**Disclaimer: I know it's been a while, but it's still true. My plans to take over the world have not yet come to fruition...oh yeah, and I still don't own Merlin.**

_****************Break****************_

**Prologue - A Story to Tell**

_"Legend tells of a mighty beast, a creature of dark magic. It is said to live in the shadows, only appearing after the sun sets, far away from what it hates the most - light and love. Nonetheless, in ancient times it was feared by all for its terrifying might. Few were brave enough to say its name in fear that it would be the last thing they would hear in the realm of the living. This great beast, whose very existence __**was**__ pure evil, was known as the..."_

"Merlin! What are you doing?"

The young warlock sighed in annoyance - leave it to his best friend to interrupt him. "What does _this_ look like to you?"

"Yes, I understand _what_ you're doing, but it's getting late. He'll be off to bed in an hour or so. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, making sure he gets ready?"

"First of all, that's already taken care of - magic... remember? Secondly, you should be thankful that your Court Sorcerer _and_ friend agreed to this in the first place. Despite what you think, I actually have important matters to attend to on a daily basis. And thirdly, I was beginning to tell a story before you rudely interrupted me. So apologize your Royal Pratness!", Merlin yelled.

"_Mer_lin!"

"Yes Arthur, that's my name. You seem to like calling it all the time".

"I am your King and I demand..."

"Oh, playing the 'king card' again. Haven't heard that one in a while, not since...oh, earlier today."

Both men glared at each other for quite some time. Granted, it had no malice behind it, but it was a glare nonetheless. The Queen walked in just as their death match began.

"Oh brother", she sighed before glancing at the two men and then at the seven year old who looked bored out of his mind. "What happened this time?" Before the King or the Court Sorcerer could respond, a small yet firm voice cut them off.

"Mother, Father barged in as Uncle Merlin was trying to tell me a story. Then they began arguing again".

"It figures" Gwen said shaking her head.

"That's not true. Tell her Aaron"

"Arthur, don't tell him to lie. Just be a man and admit that you were being a prat again", Merlin said. Before either Gwen or Arthur could interject, the young prince of Camelot spoke up.

"But weren't you edging him on Uncle?"

The Court Sorcerer frowned. "I thought you were supposed to be on my side Aaron"

"Mother says I should always do what is right and not just take sides"

"Hah, that means you're at fault _Mer_lin". Arthur said pointing an accusing finger at his friend.

"But aren't you're still at fault Father?"

"I...um..."

"Look at us. The Once and Future King and the Almighty Warlock Emrys being outwitted by a child! Sadly my friend, I think we've lost our touch." Merlin said while comforting Arthur with a pat on the back. The two men looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. Then looking at the prince, the warlock said, "You'll make a fine King one day my boy - that you will indeed".

Aaron smiled while Gwen and Arthur shook their heads in agreement. "So, what story were you telling anyway Merlin?" Arthur asked. Though he would never admit, the King liked hearing Merlin's stories. He was a brilliant story teller and the way he spoke would captivate any audience.

"Well, I was trying to tell the story of the..."

Suddenly, the door flew open, making the occupants in the room visibly jump. "Merlin, my friend, _this_ is where you've been hiding all day."

"Gwaine!" Arthur yelled indignantly.

"Of course. I should've seen this coming sooner or later" Merlin said shaking his head.

"Uncle!" Aaron smiled and ran to the door. Gwaine bent down and opened his arms to hug his foster nephew.

The drunk knight stayed in the same position for quite some time before realizing he wasn't going to receive the hug. To his dismay, he looked behind to find Aaron hugging Elyan.

While the Queen went to greet her brother, Arthur saw Gwaine's hurt look and began laughing.

"Did you really think he was going to hug you? You know, Elyan's his _actual_ uncle, not you."

"Shut up princess!"

_SLAP_

"Ow, that hurt Gwen!" Gwaine said, massaging the tender spot on the back of his head.

The whole room got quiet. Everyone (especially Arthur) knew not to mess with Gwen when it came to Aaron. There were a set of 'unspoken rules' that were implemented by the Queen when the prince was born. Most of these had to do with his upbringing and the like. One thing that Gwen would _not_ tolerate was a spoiled, disrespectful child.

So it was safe to say that all who failed to abide by them met the swift, merciless justice of the Queen of Camelot and her trusty right hand (left hand if it was an off day). Even the Great Emrys knew not to break these rules lest he once again feel the 'Sting of Justice' (as Gwaine, who was all too familiar with it, had kindly dubbed it).

"Well that's what you get for using such language in front of my boy", Gwen scolded. Then, looking at the prince she asked, "And why is that Aaron?"

"Because such language is wrong and disrespectful" the prince recited.

"Arthur, you son's a suck up..." Merlin whispered to his King but was cut off by the Queen's soul-piercing glare. There wasn't a name for this yet since Gwaine and Merlin were still working on it (they narrowed it down to 'The Soul Piercer', 'Don't You Dare-Glare', or the 'Eyes of Justice').

No matter the name (or lack of, in this case), Merlin bowed his head and muttered an apology. It took all of his strength for Arthur not to laugh in his foolish friend's face.

"Wait! Merlin calls Arthur a prat all the time and _he_ doesn't get slapped. How come when I say shut up... OW!"

"Gwaine!..."

"Alright alright. I'm sorry Gwen. I'll try harder to watch my tongue." Gwaine said sounding like a punished child. Content with the apology, Gwen smiled, turned around and continued the conversation with Elyan as if nothing happened.

Now it was Merlin's turn to join Arthur in the 'You-Better-Have-A-Death-Wish-If-You're-Caught-Laughing-When-Gwen's-Being-Serious' Club.

Seeing this, the drunk knight scowled at both of them while massaging the back of his head again. "Yeah...well, Merlin isn't related and Aaron calls _him_ 'uncle'. He even calls the other knights 'uncle'" Gwaine whined. To prove his point, Aaron shouted "Uncle Percival!" and both men looked behind to see the young prince embracing the strong knight. "See what I mean!"

"That's because he actually likes me. You're more of a 'courtesy call'." Merlin interjected.

"But...but..." Gwaine stammered until he felt a pair of arms grip him around the waist.

"I'm just kidding Uncle Gwaine" Aaron said. The knight smiled back and returned the hug.

"So what _are_ you all doing here?" Gwen asked just as Leon entered the room. The older knight waved at the prince who returned the favor.

"Well, I was starting to tell a story until Arthur interrupted" Merlin said before scowling at the king.

"Hey wait a minute. I thought I was the story teller of the group." Gwaine said.

"Nope. Everyone knows Merlin is" Arthur replied. Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

Looking distraught, Gwaine looked at Aaron. "Aaron, you like Uncle Gwaine's stories, don't you?"

"I do...I just like Uncle Merlin's a bit more"

"That hurts Aaron, that really does" Gwaine said feigning tears.

"Well, it doesn't hurt the rest of us. Come on everybody, let's gather around for a bit of story time with Merlin" Arthur declared. At this, everyone (including a jokingly annoyed Gwaine) moved to the table. Aaron sat on Gwen's lap with Arthur to her right while the other knights encircled the table.

"Come on over here Merlin. We're not getting any younger" Arthur said.

"Yeah, come on Merlin" Percival added.

"I want to hear this, oh Great and Powerful Warlock" Elyan teased.

"This _does_ sound interesting" Leon said flatly.

"Please Uncle Merlin!" Aaron begged. Sighing in defeat, the warlock magically dragged a chair to the center of the room. "Fine fine. But I don't want _any_ interruptions. No questions, no comments from the peanut gallery, nothing. All of that can wait until after."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Gwaine, I mean it."

"What? I said I wouldn't, didn't I?"

Merlin, cocking his eyebrow in utter disbelief, sat on the chair and made himself comfortable. "Let's see, where should I begin?...Ah, yes. The story I'm about to tell you is something I'm sure all of you remember...well, Aaron wasn't born yet but you get the point."

Clearing his throat, he continued.

"Anyway, this is the story of the Were-Wyvern."

_*******************Break*******************_

**So that's the prologue. I hope you enjoyed and please push that blue Review button-thing and tell me what you think. Please.**

**Okay, so I have about half of this story written without too much worry about going back and rewriting some of the previous chapters. I probably won't post the next chapter until June-ish so I can write more chapters, so bare with me please.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	2. Plotting

**Sorry about the length of this chapter. Originally, this was supposed to be the prologue but then I decided to change it up a bit. Still, this was needed.**

**Oh, and don't forget. Merlin is telling the story from a third person point of view.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin. (Sad face) :(**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Plotting**

The sound of crickets chirping could be heard as the sun set over Albion, its peaceful rays kissing the earth goodbye as it descended over the horizon. The citizens of Camelot were getting ready for a restful night's sleep. The busy work day was spent repairing the last of the damage done when Morgana had taken over. Though it was a painful reminder of what had occurred a couple months ago, the people found a renewed sense of hope, especially when the Crown Prince of Camelot, Arthur himself, physically aided with the repairs.

It showed them the extent of his loyalty and willingness to help his people and, in turn, they knew they would always remain loyal to him as well.

Not too far from Camelot, a mysterious cave lay hidden deep in the heart of the Darkling Woods. A hateful Morgana and an injured Morgause took refuge there, plotting their revenge.

"Sister, please, save your strength. You are almost recovered and it won't be long. Please have a little patience" Morgana pleaded as Morgause tried to rise from their make-shift cot.

"Very well sister. However, there is one thing that must be done. A message needs to be sent to our ally. She is a powerful witch, and her knowledge of magical spells and curses exceeds that of my own. With her help, we will have our revenge on Camelot and you will take your rightful place on the throne."

Morgana nodded her head, more concerned, at the moment, for Morgause then her dreams for domination. The time for evil smirks and sinister grins would come later. After incanting the spell, Morgause tiredly laid back on the cot.

"All will be ready Morgana. Camelot's downfall is inevitable."

* * *

**Who is the witch and what does Morgause have in mind? What will happen to our heroes? Why won't I stop asking these questions? Stay tuned and all will be revealed.**

**So, I have about 3/4 (more or less) of the story done so updates should be made in a timely manner.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	3. A New Foe

**Hi guys. I totally forgot to do this last chapter. I want to thank: ****AnneOfNarnia****, ****Ellena Tyler****, ****Tilla91****, ****readernurse****, ****Written-Life****, ****writergirl142****, and ****MerlinFan1996**** for reviewing the first two chapters. I get excited every time I receive one. It means a lot to me and they motivate me to continue writing.**

**So, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own BBC's **_**Merlin**_**.**

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**Chapter 2 - A New Foe**

Merlin wondered what he had done to tick Arthur off this badly...and this early in the morning. He didn't see what the problem was really. Putting on some weight isn't _that_ bad. Merlin thought about the incident that had taken place a couple of minutes ago.

_************A Couple of Minutes Ago***********_

_Arthur and Merlin were walking through the halls heading towards the throne room. Uther had requested his son's presence immediately and said that is was of the "greatest urgency". Of course, the young warlock knew that it was probably another Morgana sighting (as he started calling them after the tenth one) or a magic-is-evil speech Uther had whipped up. The whole Cup of Life incident had unnerved the tyrant King (though he would never admit it). So, it was safe to say that anything to do with Morgana was put on top priority._

_"Merlin, can't you walk any faster?" Arthur yelled at his manservant._

_"Sorry Sire" Merlin replied before grinning mischievously. "You're right of course Arthur. I mean, with all your extra padding weighing you down, I __**should**__ be walking faster than you"._

_"Merlin, what __**are**__ you talking about? I don't even have any chain mail on. How do I have extra padd..." Arthur paused, realizing what Merlin was implying. "Merlin, are you calling me fat?"_

_"Me Sire? No way."_

_"Then what did you mean by 'extra padding'?...because it sounded to me like you were insinuating that I had put on some extra weight...which is __**not**__ true of course"_

_"Well..."_

_"__**Mer**__lin!"_

_"Extra padding. Weight. Tomato, tomata. If you want, I could be politically correct if it makes you feel better."_

_"Merlin, I am __**not**__ fat!"_

_"No, of course you're not. You're just a little...um...round down town"_

_"MERLIN, I AM NOT FAT! Repeat after me: Prince Arthur is NOT fat!" Arthur yelled. Merlin began quietly snickering. The young prince didn't understand what his annoying servant was laughing at until he turned around. To his horror, they had already reached the throne room, whose doors were wide open for everyone to hear and see. Arthur gave a sheepish grin to his father and glared back at Merlin before strolling in as if nothing happened._

_"You're gonna get it Merlin!", the prince mumbled under his breath._

_**************End Flash Back**************_

Okay, so maybe that was a bit too far, but really, who could blame Merlin? If Arthur is hurt by the truth, he shouldn't ask for it.

Anyway, that is how the young warlock found himself preparing all of the horses for an exciting day of hunting. _Oh joy! Another day to waste time and take your anger out on nature. And here I thought that Arthur was actually showing signs of maturity. Silly me, what a foolish idea_, he thought. Despite all the complaining, Merlin had to give the prince credit; Arthur knew what he hated most and he used against him wisely.

* * *

The week went by and Morgause regained most of her strength, enough to be able to take care of herself for a change and to give Morgana a little break. The blonde sorceress appreciated how her sister had waited on her, hand and foot, for the past months, soothing her with ideas about how they would 'reclaim' Camelot, how Arthur and his pesky servant would pay, and other horrible things they would do to those who opposed them.

With renewed strength, Morgause knew that the time for talking was over (that is, unless a spell had to be cast). Action had to be taken soon... and it wasn't a moment too soon, for as the new day began, the two sisters had a visitor.

"It's been a while Morgause" a voice said from the entrance of the cave.

"Anatol! It's truly wonderful to see you" Morgause said before pulling the young woman into a tight hug. "Let me introduce you to my sister. Anatol, this is Morgana. Morgana, this is Anatol, a fellow sorceress. We studied together under the High Priestesses of the Old Religion for some time."

"It's a pleasure to meet you My Lady." the newcomer said and bowed her head to Morgana. She took a second to look at this 'ally' that Morgause had spoken so highly of.

Anatol had green eyes, fine skin and long red hair. She looked slightly older than Morgause. She wore a pair of brown leather pants and a dark green blouse which was almost hidden by the black hooded cloak draped over her shoulders. Two daggers, both bearing the sigil of the Blood-Guard, were strapped to her belt, one on each side.

Morgana felt a pang of jealously at the close bond Morgause and this other sorceress seemed to have. However, she quickly put away these thoughts upon realizing that her dear sister _had_ to have had friends, especially growing up with no-one to call family.

"No, the pleasure's mine" Morgana said, crushing all thoughts of jealousy.

"Morgause always talked about the sister she never knew because you two were separated at a very young age. It's finally good to meet you and I can see the resemblance". Turning back to Morgause, she got straight to the point. "So, why have you requested my presence? Not that I'm upset or anything, but the message I received said it was urgent".

"And it is Anatol. We must act with great haste. You see, my sister and I are planning the downfall of Camelot. For that to happen, we need to get rid of the King and especially the Prince. Only then can Morgana take her rightful place on the throne."

At this, Anatol's eyes widened as realization hit. "Your Majesty!" she said before bowing to Morgana. At that point, Morgana decided that she liked this woman. She was polite, respectful, and knew her place. "No, none of that. Morgana is just fine" she replied.

The newcomer nodded her head and continued. "Of course. I'm sorry. You were saying" Anatol said, looking at Morgause.

"Your expertise when it comes to magical curses is far greater than my own. I need your help in placing a curse on Arthur Pendragon" Morgause said.

The young sorceress took her time to dramatically think about this proposition. She already knew her answer. "What curse did you have in mind?..."

* * *

**Obviously, there is no one named Anatol in the series, so I guess she would be considered my first OC. Hopefully I did well in describing what she looked like. The **_**'atol'**_** part of her name translates to 'evil' (yes, aren't I clever XD).**

**So, any ideas of what their evil plans are (despite the title of this fic)?**

**Stay tune and see what happens next time.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	4. Hunting Gone Wrong

**Thanks to ****readernurse**** and ****MerlinFan1996**** for reviewing. It meant a lot to me and I hope all y'all who are reading this enjoy the chapter. :)**

**FYI: there will be, what everyone refers to as, "Merlin Whump" in this chapter. This is my first attempt, so tell me how you liked or didn't like it.**

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own **_**Merlin**_

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Hunting Gone Wrong**

The Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, and Arthur were hunting. So far, all they had caught were a few rabbits... nothing that would be the envy of the Five Kingdoms to say the least. It was only a little past Midday, so the young prince decided to test their luck some more.

"Arthur, can we go back please!" Merlin groaned.

"What's wrong _Mer_lin? Is your little bottom sore again?"

"Well, unlike some prat princes I know, I don't have 'extra padding' to cushion the seat" Merlin replied. At this, all the knights stiffened and held in their laughter...well except for Gwaine who, having no inhibitions, began laughing in Arthur's face. All of them were present when the Prince of Camelot practically screamed that he wasn't fat in front of the throne room. They all silently agreed that _that_ was a priceless moment.

"_Mer_lin!"

"What?"

"Shut up!"

"Prat"

"Idiot"

The banter continued for some time. Leon and Percival ignored them and started their own conversation. Elyan, Lancelot, and Gwaine's heads kept shifting from Merlin to Arthur as insults were exchanged from both sides. It wasn't until a twig snapped that the men stopped talking.

"What was that?"

"Shut up Merlin!" Arthur hissed, keeping his voice as low as possible. If these were bandits, Arthur wanted to keep some sort of element of sur...

Before he could finish his thought, thirty or so bandits came charging through the trees.

"Great, just what we need. Can this day get any better?" Merlin said to himself before the fighting began.

Oh, how he was going to eat those words.

* * *

The fighting had started and the sound of metal against metal filled the area. Half of the bandits were attacking Leon, Elyan, Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine. The other half decided to go after Arthur and Merlin. Seeing the bandits charging at them, Arthur instinctively pushed Merlin behind him and stood his ground to defend himself and his best friend.

Merlin was helping Arthur with his magic whenever he could. The young prince didn't question the occasional falling branch or how some of the bandits tripped over themselves mysteriously. He simply shrugged it off as a coincidence and focused on the task at hand.

The fighting continued and with each passing second, the bandits slowly separated Arthur and Merlin from the rest of the knights. The two men only realized this when the last bandit was killed.

"Great! Now we're lost" complained Merlin.

"Don't be such a girl Merlin. At least we're still alive...thanks to yours truly" Arthur replied, pulling a smug grin that screamed, '_I-just-defeated-all-of-my-enemies-singlehandedly-without-any-help-whatsoever'._

"Yeah, if it wasn't for me" the warlock mumbled as if reading the prince's mind.

"What does that mean _Mer_lin? What could _you_ have possibly done?"

"You know...I was...um...helping you like I always do."

"Sure Merlin. I'll believe it when I see it". Arthur said before playfully punching his best friend on the shoulder.

"I still don't see how that's suppose to cheer me up" the young warlock complained, rubbing his bruised appendage.

"That's because you have the strength of a wounded kitten", the young prince said in a matter-of-fact tone. Merlin decided not to grace _that_ remark with a comment. "Anyway, we're not lost. I know these woods like the back of my hand. I'm sure we'll find the others in no time". Not surprisingly, this failed to comfort Merlin at all.

After walking for bit, the two men wandered into a beautiful clearing with a small river. They decided to rest here before trying to find their friends again. It was while taking a drink of water that Merlin felt it - the sudden jolt his magic sent him whenever there was danger. He frantically looked around trying to find the source, but he saw nothing.

"Merlin, what are you looking at?" Arthur asked after noticing his friend searching the area.

"I just thought...I mean...I thought I saw something".

"It probably was nothing" Arthur said. Though he didn't want to admit it out loud, he _did_ feel that something was watching them. However, Arthur knew that worrying his friend further would not help. _I'll just have to stay alert_, he thought.

"I think we should just leave" the young warlock finally said.

"Merlin, don't be such a..." but the prince couldn't finish his sentence. A blood curdling screech rang through the forest around them. At this, both men immediately got up and stood back to back, frantically looking for the unknown threat.

"What was that?" Arthur asked, only to have his question shortly answered when a dragon like creature rushed out from the forest opposite them.

_A wyvern? __**That's**__ a wyvern? What's a wyvern doing way out here?,_ Merlin thought. He studied the distant cousin of the dragons curiously. Something was wrong. The wyverns he had encountered in the Perilous Lands were grey, had red eyes, and were just a tad bit bigger than him in size. This one was completely different. Instead of grey, it's body was pure black, its eyes were white, and it was one and a-half times bigger than a normal one. The most prominent difference was the dark energy that emanated from the creature.

"It's a wyvern!" Arthur shouted, to which Merlin rolled his eyes. _Took you long enough to figure it out_. The wyvern bore its fangs as it slowly began circling them.

Merlin began thinking of the best way to confront the beast so he could command it to leave. _Maybe I can draw its attention from Arthur or I could-,_ but before the warlock could finish his train of thought, Arthur unexpectedly ran at the wyvern, sword flailing.

_Or he could charge the beast head on...Wait! He's charging it head on!_ Before Merlin could do anything, Arthur was flung back several yards and knocked unconscious. The wyvern started creeping towards the prince when a wave of magic hit it, its power making the beast slightly stumble.

It looked over at Merlin, who now stood between it and his friend. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to let the wyvern hurt Arthur. The winged beast kept glancing back and forth from the prince to the warlock in a look that could only be described as confusion. It was when another blast of pure magic (stronger than the first but not fatal) hit the wyvern that the creature roared, its focus now on Merlin. After a few seconds, ones that felt like eternity to the young warlock, the beast charged.

Facing the beast, Merlin stared it down. He knew what he had to do. "_Dragon_!" he called out to it. Instead of stopping in its tracks, the beast ignored his words and pressed on. At this, the young warlock panicked, stretched out his hand, and tried again. "_Non didlkai..."_ he began, but was cut off as the great beast tackled him to the ground.

"Ah!" he yelled. The strange wyvern had him pinned by the arms. Merlin tried kicking his way out, but it had no effect on the smaller dragon's bigger body. He tried using magic to throw it off, but his attempts proved futile as his magic seemed to barely effect the beast at all. He _even_ tried calling Kilgharrah when he grew desperate - but for some reason he couldn't contact him. At this point Merlin realized that his magic was rendered useless. He panicked - there was no way of escape now.

Eventually, Merlin had no more strength left in him to struggle. He gazed at the wyvern, knowing that these would be the last moments of his life. The wyvern, in turn, stared at the captured Dragonlord, its gaze burrowing deep into the warlock's soul. For what seemed like an eternity, both Dragonlord and wyvern just stared at each other.

It was only when something moved on the side that the trance was broken. After roaring towards the sky, the wyvern bent its head down and bit Merlin on his right shoulder.

Merlin never knew so much pain. To say that it was excruciating was an understatement. At the moment of the wyvern's bite, Merlin could feel the dark magic slowly entering his body. His own magic, pure in essence, fought with the dark poison for dominance - unfortunately for him, it was winning.

He vaguely heard a voice yell his name before he let the darkness consume him.

* * *

**The dragon language was taken from the **_**Eye of the Phoenix**_** and **_**The Last Dragonlord**_** episodes. In all honesty, I have no idea what it literally translates to or if I spelled it correctly - all I know is that it's German.**

**Feel free to leave a review and tell me what you thought.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	5. Curses

**I want to thank all who read the last chapter and especially ****Boxerbee**** and ****readernurse**** for reviewing. It made me smile to read them.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Curses**

_Okay, so maybe charging the wyvern wasn't a good idea... but I had to do something_, he thought dryly. Arthur was just beginning to wake up from...oh yeah, what was he doing? Still disoriented from the blow, he grudgingly decided that it would be best to completely wake up. The only problem was actually doing it...and to top it off, he had a pounding headache. It wasn't until an unearthly roar sounded near him that he sluggishly remembered the severity of their situation. A giant wyvern had attacked him and Merlin.

_Merlin... Oh no, Merlin!_ He had almost forgotten about his friend. _Where is he? I hope he's alright? I..._, Arthur kept asking himself until his train of thought was cut off by blood-curdling scream. Immediately, the prince's eyes shot open, only to behold a gruesome sight, one he wished he had never seen.

There, about fifteen yards away from him lay Merlin, pinned down by the beast, screaming in pain as the wyvern's fangs dug into his right shoulder. For a few of seconds, the young prince froze at the sight of his best friend's thrashing form.

"MERLIN!", Arthur screamed. The wyvern didn't even flinch at the sound of the angry prince. Instead, it only shifted its gaze to the prince and then back to Merlin, never letting go of the shoulder it was biting on. It was only when the screams faded and his friend passed out that snapped out of his daze.

Anger was an understatement for what Arthur was feeling. Losing all inhibitions, the prince charged the beast (again). With a careful swing, the sword hit the wyvern but instead of injuring it, the sword repelled off its skin. The prince tried again and again, but the result was the same.

Meanwhile, the wyvern was still biting on the warlock. Paying little heed to the prince, with a flick of its tail it sent Arthur flying across the clearing. He got up to charge the beast one more time (because that was _obviously_ working). He had to get Merlin out of there, and fast! When he was a few yards from it, the wyvern suddenly let go of Merlin's limp body, ripped off his neckerchief, and took off. Its work was completed.

Arthur would have mercilessly hunted down the beast if it wasn't for his best friend's prone form. Merlin's body was gravely still and his breathing was weak. To make matters worse, he was bleeding profusely. Running to his friend, the young prince knelt down by his side.

"Merlin. Can you hear me?" he asked, hoping for some sort of response. Nothing. He gently shook the young warlock, hoping to wake him up. After what seemed like eternity, Merlin's eyes shot open as he gasped desperately for air.

"Ar...thur?" Merlin said through ragged breaths.

"Merlin! You're up! How do you feel?" Arthur asked. _That was stupid, he probably feels terrible right now. I know I would!_

"What...do you...think?" _Yep, stupid question._

Before he could respond, the bushes surrounding the clearing rustled. Something else was coming. Thinking that the wyvern returned to finish them off, Arthur stood up in a striking stance. He was going to protect Merlin, no matter what the cost.

Luckily he didn't have to. A couple of seconds later, his knights stepped out from the forest.

"Arthur, there you are. We heard a loud roar and followed it and..." Leon began, but was cut off when he noticed a motionless Merlin laying on the ground.

"What happened?" Gwaine asked furiously.

"It's a long story, but we have to get Merlin back to Camelot now! He needs Gaius...badly", Arthur solemnly replied. "Where are the horses?"

"Here Arthur", Percival said, holding the reins in his hand.

"Good. Elyan, go back home and let Gaius know what happened".

"Yes Sire", Elyan replied before riding with all speed to Camelot.

"Lancelot, get the bandages from Merlin's pack and cover his wound as best as you can. Once he's done, we leave right away."

Immediately, each knight set off completing their tasks. No-one dared to break the uneasy silence that had fallen on the group. Even _Gwaine_ was somber, and that was saying something.

Merlin, who had already fallen back into the realm of unconsciousness, woke up when Lancelot was wrapping his shoulder. Seeing his friend awake, the knight smiled.

"How are you my friend?"

"It hurts. Dark...magic..." Merlin muttered before he groaned in pain. His eyes flashed gold for a brief second. Lancelot could only guess that his body was fighting the 'dark magic' Merlin had mentioned. The knight glanced behind him to make sure no-one was around to notice. Seeing that the coast was clear, Lancelot turned around to his friend to finish bandaging the shoulder.

When he looked at Merlin, for the briefest millisecond, he could have sworn he saw his eyes turn red. The knight shut his eyes and opened them to make sure if what he was seeing was right, but when he did, the young warlock's eyes were their normal blue color. _Maybe I'm just a little stressed_, Lancelot thought.

After Lancelot had finished wrapping the shoulder, Merlin proceeded to pass out again. Percival lifted the warlock as gently as possible and set the young man in front of Arthur on his horse. The prince wrapped one arm around Merlin's torso and held the reins in the other hand. Once they were all ready, they rode as quickly as they could to Camelot.

One the ride home, Merlin woke up once. His eyes, glazed over in pain, met Arthur's before closing again. It hurt Arthur to see his best friend like this. He berated himself for not protecting Merlin, for failing him when he needed him most. As they drew nearer to the white city, all Arthur could do was hope that his friend would hold on just a bit longer until they were safe home.

* * *

_He was floating. Why was he here? How did he get there? What happened?_

_Who was he?_

_Someone had called his name. What was it again?...Ah yes, his name was Merlin._

_He stood up, only to be met with a painful, pulsating throb. He opened his eyes, but all he could see was darkness. A figure crept in the corner of his eye. He turned around, but it was gone. There it was again!...and then in a flash, it disappeared._

_The silence whispered to him, its raspy voice sending shivers ran down his spine. 'Fangs, claws, darkness' it breathed. Another throb, more painful than the last, ripped through his body. He fell down...and was floating again. He closed his eyes and let the sweet oblivion take hold._

_The darkness engulfed him and he was lost to the realm of consciousness._

* * *

The plan was simple. Put a curse on Arthur that would turn him into a creature of magic. Then control said creature into attacking Camelot, but more importantly Uther. The look on the king's face, knowing his beloved son was destroying his own kingdom... oh that would be priceless.

Fortunately for Morgana, Anatol was a master at curses. Unfortunately, curses were more complicated than Morgana thought, even for one such as skilled as their new ally.

"For this curse to work, it has to be inflicted by a physical means before the magical part can be implemented", Anatol said to Morgana.

"I don't understand. Can't you just curse him with magic and be done with it?" Morgana asked curiously.

"No. Curses by themselves require powerful magic. This curse, however, is on a level on its own. For a warlock, doing this would be simple enough. For us, however, _just_ using powerful magic isn't enough." Morgause answered. Morgana gave a quizzical look. The blonde sorceress knew that her sister was still knew to the rules of magic. Anatol took that as her cue to explain further.

"Think about casting a curse like locking a door. If you want to keep out a weak enemy, simply closing the door and locking it will do the trick. If the enemy is powerful, you'll need to reinforce the door with barricades and the like, otherwise it will not hold".

"Likewise, _this_ curse is powerful so it requires extremely powerful magic to control it. In order to do so, I have to reinforce it physically _and_ magically to maintain it. Otherwise, it just won't work."

"Oh, that makes sense" Morgana replied.

"Since we are dealing with the Pendragons, I want to make sure that the curse is as strong as it can be", Anatol said.

"So how do we inflict it physically?"

"Well Morgana, I'm glad you asked", the red-haired sorceress replied, an evil grin forming on her face. At this, Anatol began chanting a spell, her eyes blazing gold. Suddenly, a great wind blew inside the cave, bringing with it a set of old bones. The bones began putting themselves together. Muscles and flesh sprouted from the rib cage, until a black dragon-like creature with white eyes stood in its place.

"It's a wyvern!" Morgana said in a surprised tone.

"Not just any my dear sister. This is a _were-wyvern_. There's only one in existence", Morgause said with slight awe.

"That is correct Morgause. One bite from this wyvern, and the curse will be spread to the prince", Anatol replied and turned away from the sisters to examine the beast even more.

"Sister" Morgana said turning to Morgause. "What's so special about _this_ wyvern?"

"Well, for starters, its whole being is made up of dark magic. That's why it only takes a bite to spread the curse. Another thing is that there's always only one in existence at a time".

After another puzzled look from Morgana, Morgause continued. "After the wyvern bites its victim, it dies. However, the victim eventually will turn into one himself and takes its place. Then the cycle starts again".

Morgana was amazed. This was indeed powerful magic!

"How will you know that it got the right person? What if it bites someone else?"

"A good question Morgana" Anatol said as walked forward to the two sisters. "You see, the were_-_wyvern hunts by sensing a person's aura. It never misses and it will not rest until it has bit its intended target", the sorceress paused dramatically. "Now, do you have something that the prince has touched before? _Anything_, no matter how small, will do."

Morgana thought carefully until she remembered the dagger Arthur had given to her on her birthday. Digging it out from her belongings, she presented it to Anatol. The sorceress, in turn, gave it to the were-wyvern. After smelling it, it looked at Morgana and turned around to face Anatol.

_"No, the other one", _she commanded mentally.

Sniffing it again, its white eyes narrowed when it latched on to the other aura_. "Perfect. Now, go and hunt him down. Signal me when you have found him"_. The beast bowed its head, spread its wings, and took flight.

"It should be back soon" Anatol said when it left. The three sorceresses look pleased. Soon, all would be ready and Arthur and all of Camelot would bow before them. Breaking the silence, Morgana asked the last question that was still nagging at her.

"What happens if someone else tries to control it?" Morgana and Morgause had heard rumors of a lone sorcerer protecting Camelot. Though they were supposedly 'just rumors', it _did_ explain how Camelot had survived the magical attacks these past couple of years.

At the question, Anatol smiled an evil grin (one that made _even_ Morgana slightly jealous). "That's the best part. Since it is made up of dark magic and I summoned it, _I_ alone can control it. Not even the mighty Dragonlord has the power to command it".

* * *

A couple hours later, Anatol heard the were-wyvern's roar in her mind. _Ah, there's the signal_, she said to herself. "All is ready".

* * *

**I hope the 'putting-a-curse-is-like-locking-a-door' analogy made sense. It was the only thing I could think of. :)**

**I hope I shed some light about the were-wyvern. We'll learn more about it as the story goes on. I promise. Feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think.**

**Until later,**

**-STL 13**


	6. An Unexpected Turn of Events

**I want to thank readernurse, Frecko, and Revenge of the Red Pen for reviewing my story. Thanks for the comments and I hope all those who are reading enjoy this next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Guess what? I still don't own Merlin (gasp) :o**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - An Unexpected Turn of Events**

After receiving the signal, Anatol stepped outside of the cave and waited for the beast. "You did well", she said before noticing the piece of cloth in the were-wyvern's mouth. "What is this?" The wyvern silently nodded its head and the red-haired sorceress understood. "This belongs to the victim?" she asked. The beast bowed its head. "Then your work here is done".

Her eyes flashed gold as she released the beast. A gust of wind blew from the east. As it hit the wyvern, its flesh peeled away and bones pulled themselves apart. With that, the were-wyvern screeched and faded out of existence.

By the time she arrived at the cave, the sun had already set. Anatol was greeted by an eager Morgana and Morgause. "Well, did it work?", asked Morgause.

"Yes. Now all that's left is for the curse to be cast".

"Excellent!" Morgana said with glee. Finally, they would have their revenge. It was only when she noticed the familiar looking neckerchief in her hand that Morgana stopped smiling. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh this? The wyvern must of taken it from the prince as a keepsake. Though why the Prince of Camelot would have such a ragged piece of cloth is beyond me." Anatol said while studying the cloth in her hand.

"Let me see it" Morgana said while snatching it from the sorceress' hand.

"Sister, what troubles you?"

"This is not my brother's. This belongs to his troublesome manservant". Her eyes widened and she looked at Anatol. _Oh no._ "Does this belong to the person the wyvern bit?"

"Yes."

"Then it bit the wrong person. It's not Arthur that's cursed, it's Merlin".

* * *

After the long ride to Camelot, Merlin was quickly brought to Gaius. Upon seeing his ward, the court physician immediately began cleaning his wound. To say it was gruesome was an understatement. Gaius didn't have to guess that the beast was huge, for the wound said everything.

The bite mark went from front to back. Gaius could only guess that the beast's jaw practically consumed the entirety of the shoulder. What worried the physician was the black substance that seemed to linger under the skin around the bite mark - definitely an infection, but of what kind, Gaius didn't know.

The Knights of the Round Table, Arthur, and Gwen - who had heard what happened from Elyan and came to help - were all crammed into Gaius' room. Though it did annoy the physician slightly, his anger relented at seeing how much they truly cared for his ward.

He had Percival carry Merlin to his room; after bandaging the wound, giving him a tonic to help fight the strange infection, and proclaiming that the young warlock would be fine as long as he was looked after and rested, Gaius asked the question that was at the front of everyone's mind.

"What happened?"

The knights all looked to Arthur who simply stared at Merlin, reliving the previous events in his head. After a long sigh, the Prince of Camelot shamefully recounted all that had happened - how he was helpless in saving his friend, how the beast just stayed there, its attention only focused on Merlin, everything.

"Arthur, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself for this"

"Gaius, I should've found a way to at least get the beast off of him or something"

"Arthur, it's not your fault" Gaius reiterated. "Now, describe the creature again"

"Well, it looked like the wyverns we faced in the Perilous Lands except this one was...different"

"How so?"

"It was pure black, had white eyes, and it was much bigger! It was the size of one of my warhorse."

"Why does it matter?" Lancelot asked.

"I'm not sure...not yet anyway" Gaius said. He looked at Lancelot, who gave a worried glance to Merlin's room and then back to the physician. They had to talk, but not with everyone here.

There was a moment of silence. "Okay everybody, I would appreciate it if you left me with my ward". Before anyone could protest, the court physician cut them off. "I know you are all concerned about Merlin, but there's nothing you can do for him now. A little rest and some peace and quiet is all he needs at the moment".

Everyone left without complaint, well except for Gwaine who had to be physically dragged out of the room by Percival. Before leaving, Lancelot nodded at Gaius, the silent message being sent: _We'll talk later_. Arthur was the last to leave. As he made his way out the door, the young prince turned to face the physician.

"You'll call me when he wakes up?" It was more of a request than a question.

"Of course Arthur".

He nodded without saying another word and finally left the room. After closing the door, he bowed his head in guilt. _You better be okay Idiot_!

* * *

The sun had just set when Gaius heard a knock on his door. Lancelot walked in, being extra careful not to wake up Merlin who was still sleeping.

"Gaius, sorry to disturb you"

"Not at all."

"How's he doing?"

"As well as can be. The only thing that concerns me at the moment is his wound. It looks slightly infected, but it doesn't look a normal infection"

"How so?"

"Well, the infection is spreading throughout his body. That's normal, more or less. However, the infection itself is black. I've never seen anything like that before".

"Hmm..."

"What is it Lancelot? It seemed like you wanted to tell me something about Merlin earlier."

"When I was bandaging his wound, Merlin mentioned something about 'dark magic'. Then his eyes turned from gold to red before turning back to their normal color. It was just for a brief second, but still..."

At this, Gaius went to the bookshelf and pulled out several books, all of them about magic. "Gaius, do you think whatever's wrong with Merlin is_ actually_ magical?" the knight asked.

"I believe so. The problem now is figuring out what it is."

* * *

Morgana was fuming. By now, the moon was shinning upon them, its glow making the angry sorceress' face illuminate ominously. "How could this happen?" Morgana yelled, throwing the neckerchief on the cave floor.

"I..I don't know?" Anatol replied. "I don't understand either. The were-wyvern never misses its target. Its aura tracking ability makes it so that it never fails.". The red-haired sorceress paused for a moment. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Morgause asked.

"Unless Arthur and this 'Merlin' person share the same color aura. That, in theory, would throw off the beast"

"But that is a rare circumstance. It almost never happens. And why would a servant share the same color aura with that of a prince?" Morgause observed. While she and Anatol contemplated the meaning of this phenomenon, Morgana smiled wickedly, a plan forming in her mind.

"Forgive me Lady Morgana. I have failed you" Anatol said, her head bowed in shame.

"No matter, we can turn this failure to our advantage still"

Anatol's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at Morgana's comment about her failing. It wasn't her fault the were-wyvern got confused and bit the wrong person. Careful to hide her emotions, the red-haired sorceress lifted her head from its bowed position. "What do you want me to do then?"

"Place the curse on Merlin as we would have Arthur. I know how much that servant means to my brother. Pitting friend against friend. It's a perfect way to take them both down. And this way, that pesky servant will finally pay for always ruining our plans."

The two sisters smiled wickedly. This was the perfect plan. Both equally hated Arthur...but Merlin was on a whole new level of hatred. _He_ was the one who poisoned Morgana. _He_ was the one who somehow stopped the Army of the Dead when Cenred first attacked. _He_ was the one who spilled the blood from the Cup of Life, thus destroying the Immortal Army.

And now, it seemed that _he_ would be the one who would ultimately be the downfall of the prince. Oh the irony.

"As you wish My Lady". Anatol took a step back and began chanting her spell:

"_Ic áwiergednes __þás mann gehíwian __innan__āc__ælwiht sylfum__deorcnes__. __Swá sé æfnung, hé underhnígaþ æt sé __geweald__. __Fram__cwildseten hé __nā__habban__æhtgeweald, __æt__sé ándaga sylfum sé déaþscúa gesceaphwíl_." Her eyes flashed gold after the final words were spoken. The curse was now complete.

"Now, all we have to do is wait a night for the curse to run its course".

* * *

Lancelot had finally gone home after both he and Gaius spent the last hour or so searching the books for anything that could help. Finding nothing and hoping that Merlin would be able to answer some questions when he woke up, both knight and physician got ready for bed.

All of Camelot was asleep when Merlin began thrashing in his bed. The pain was excruciating. It felt like his insides were being burned alive while his skin was being torn to pieces. Despite his many attempts, he couldn't seem to wake himself up. After a couple minutes of pain, the young warlock's eyes shot open - instead of their normal blue color, they were blood red.

He then closed his eyes and let the darkness pull him into unconsciousness. The faint echo of a roar was the last thing he heard before he knew no more.

* * *

A few miles from Camelot, a woman emerged from the Lake of Avalon, her slender figure gracefully floating above the water's surface. Feeling the pain of the one she truly loved and knowing what he would be going through for the next couple days, she looked up to the night sky and said the name that all made sense.

"Merlin"

* * *

**So that's the chapter. I hoped you enjoyed it. Any guesses as to what Freya's role is in the story? Please, please review, even if it's a one word comment, all reviews are welcomed and strongly encouraged.**

**Curse Translation:**

_**I**__** curse this man to transform into a creature of darkness. As the sun sets, he will succumb to its power. By night he will have no control, At the time of the darkest hour**_**.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	7. A Changed Man

**Thank you to Guest 1 and Guest 2 for reviewing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - A Changed Man**

Merlin woke up refreshed and ready to take on whatever destiny threw at him. He slightly wondered why he woke up on the floor, but dashed those thoughts away. He was only going to think positive today.

Gaius was still sleeping before Merlin charged into the other room, effectively waking up the old man.

"Merlin!" he half-yelled, about to scold his ward for waking him up so abruptly before he remembered that Merlin should still be in bed because of the severity of the wound. "Why are you up?"

"Today's a new day Gaius and I intend to enjoy it. Now, I'm off to wake up his majesty from slumber", the happy warlock said before making his way towards the door.

"What about your shoulder?"

Merlin stopped in his tracks. Slowly looking over his left shoulder, he stared at Gaius. At that moment, the physician could've sworn that he saw a glint of red in his ward's eyes. "It's perfectly fine Gaius. There's no need to worry. So don't." he said too calmly before leaving the physician in shock.

As his ward hastily left the room, Gaius knew one thing. He needed to speak with Lancelot again. There was definitely something wrong with Merlin.

* * *

"Rise and shine!", Merlin said before pulling the curtains open.

"Merlin" Arthur groaned when the sun hit his eyes. _Wait... Merlin_! The prince jolted up from his bed and stared at his manservant. "What are you...I mean..."

"Try putting words together Arthur. It actually helps to form sentences"

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur said before throwing a pillow at the warlock. "How are you here?" he asked, remembering the wyvern's attack on Merlin.

"Well, I start by using my legs to support my weight. Then I put one foot in front of the other and..."

"You know what I mean. Last time I checked, you couldn't even open your eyes thanks to that wyvern biting you on your shoulder."

Merlin winced and in a serious tone said, "Oh, my shoulder healed itself. What does it matter anyway? I feel fine. Now, what needs to be done Sire?"

Arthur was stunned. Merlin never called him 'sire' unless they were around nobles or he was annoyed. _There aren't any nobles around so..._, he thought to himself. Shaking his head, he continued. "Nothing. I had already found a servant to fill in for you because of your condition yesterday."

"So I get the day off"

"Nonsense, it just means that you don't have to do most of your chores. Since you have all this energy, you will assist me while training...Anyway, I'm sure the others would like to see you now that you're fine."

"Ah, does Prince Arthur actually care about me?"

"...Idiot"

* * *

The Knights of the Round Table were already on the training field. Arthur was late (as usual) probably because Merlin didn't wake him up on time.

Merlin. The knights wondered how their friend was doing. All of them were worried for the person they considered their little brother. He was so still the previous night - _almost dead_, they mused.

Their concerns were short lived as Arthur, wearing a scowl, came walking in, Merlin right behind him.

"Sorry I'm late everyone I...", the prince began.

"...couldn't figure out how to put his shirt on correctly" Merlin interrupted.

"_Mer_lin!"

"What? It's true... and don't tell me that it's the shirt's fault!"

The banter continued for a couple of minutes while the knights just stood there, mouths hanging. Just last night their friend could barely open his eyes and now he was standing there, bantering with Arthur as if nothing happened.

"Merlin, you're alive!" Gwaine yelled jokingly.

"It's good to see well my friend" Elyan said. Percival nodded in agreement.

"Merlin, are you okay?" Lancelot asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Merlin said, his eye slightly twitched in annoyance. _Why is everyone asking me the same question?_

"Well, you were out cold, your shoulder and all being..."

"Why does everyone think that there's something wrong with me?"

"They were just asking Merlin. No need to get upset", Arthur said.

"I AM NOT UPSET!" he yelled, leaving everyone momentarily speechless. Merlin rarely - scratch that - Merlin _never_ got angry, and if or when he did, he hid it really well.

The warlock quickly caught himself before he could say anything else. His eyes softened and he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have yelled at you Lancelot".

Lancelot, still in shock, snapped out of his daze, gave a half smile, and said, "No harm done".

"And what about me, _Mer_lin. You yelled at me directly - me, your prince!", Arthur complained, ignoring the strange behaving 'Merlin' standing before them.

"Didn't you hear? Prats don't get apologies"

"Merlin!"

"What?"

Arthur growled in frustration. He hated when Merlin outwitted him in their unspoken contest-of-wit...so he settled with doing the next best thing - obnoxious bullying.

"Since you obviously have _so_ much energy, let's put it to good use"

* * *

Arthur put Merlin to 'good use' the only way he knew how - by making him the practice dummy. Arrogant as always, the prince gave Merlin a sword, helmet, _and_ shield while he only took a sword, proclaiming to the others that he didn't need it because 'this would be over soon'.

Arthur took a fighting stance. "Are you ready, _Mer_lin?"

Merlin looked at the prince and mirrored his position. "I should be asking you the same question."

Arthur rolled his eyes and began attacking. Strangely enough, Merlin blocked each blow with ease. _Okay, so he picked up a couple things while training with me for the past three and a half years. Big deal_, Arthur thought amusingly. It wasn't until he started putting _actual_ effort into his attacks that he realized that Merlin was holding his own quite nicely. _This is getting weird_.

Things turned serious for Arthur when he was put on the defensive as Merlin began hacking away at him. _How the hell did our positions get reversed?_

Meanwhile, the knights were in utter shock. _Everyone_ knew that Merlin was useless with a sword, and yet here he was giving Arthur a run for his money. Lancelot looked at the warlock suspiciously. His outburst earlier plus his all-of-a-sudden hidden talent with a sword - it didn't take a genius to figure out that something strange was going on.

Back to the sword fight - taking action, Arthur quickly took control of the situation. After tripping Merlin with the end of his sword, he managed to relieve him of his weapon, hold him at sword point, and declared himself the victor.

"Well done Merlin. Who knew you had it in you?" Gwaine said while patting the warlock on the uninjured shoulder. Looking at Arthur, he began taunting him. "What's wrong princess, is Merlin too tough for you?"

"No. He just got lucky. Anyway, I gave him more items to defend himself with - clearly he had the advantage."

"Sure..."

Before he could counter-argue with the knight, a messenger arrived. "Sire, your father has requested your presence in the throne room...alone".

"I'll be there momentarily", the prince replied. After the messenger left, the prince dismissed the knights from training, Merlin from his duties, and ran off to the throne room. The young warlock was about to leave when Gwaine called after him.

"Merlin, we're going to the tavern for dinner this evening. You should come with us".

"I don't know..."

"Nonsense, after humbling the princess like that, it's the least we could do"

"But Gaius will be expecting me"

"I'm sure Gaius won't mind" Gwaine said before looking to the others. "What say you gentlemen?"

"It sounds like fun" Elyan said.

"I agree" Leon replied.

"Anyway Merlin, you deserve a break and a little fun" Percival commented.

The young warlock's mood suddenly changed. "You know what, that _does_ sound like fun!", he exclaimed happily.

"Great! And don't worry. It's not like you'll get into trouble - that's why you have us for"

"What he _really_ means is that Percival, Elyan, Lancelot, and myself will keep us out of trouble. Gwaine attracts trouble like bees to honey... but we'll keep him in line". At this, the drunk knight scowled.

Clutching his heart dramatically, he said, "I'm hurt Leon - really, I am", causing the knights (except for Lancelot) and Merlin to roar in laughter.

"Actually, I won't be going with you guys tonight"

"Why not _Lanc_elot?" Gwaine asked, mimicking Arthur.

"I need to see Gaius. I haven't been... feeling well lately"

"Fine then... go to your physician and don't spend time with your friends."

"Gee Gwaine, I feel guilty already" Lancelot said dryly.

"Well, that actually works out quite nicely. You can tell Gaius the news then" Leon suggested.

"That's fine by me". Lancelot left the group while Merlin and the others headed to the tavern. Now he knew that there was definitely something wrong. When did Merlin _ever_ willingly go to the tavern?

* * *

Not five minutes had gone by since they arrived at the tavern and it all started going downhill, especially when Gwaine started challenging people to drinking contests. What made it worse was the fact that Merlin joined in. The knights, despite their 'vow' that they would keep the group out of trouble, couldn't do anything to stop the scene before them.

Merlin was out-drinking _Gwaine - _Gwaine, of all people - and still managed to stay sober. In fact, he was the most sober of the whole group. After the drinking game was over (Merlin proclaimed the obvious winner to the drunken knight's horror) the knights decided to order some actual food - a nice plate of salted pork would do the trick.

When the food finally came out, a big chunk of salted pork still steaming on the platter, it was set before them for all at the table to dig in. To the dismay of all the knights, Merlin grabbed the largest portion of pork.

"Merlin, will you be able to eat all of this?", asked Leon knowing how the boy never ate a lot.

"I see why not. I'm starving", the warlock replied before tearing off a piece with his teeth. "Oh, this is delicious!" he said with his mouth full.

"Well, I've never seen you eat _this_ much food before, even when it was offered", Percival added, slightly upset that his friend took his favorite portion.

"Then I don't know what I've been missing" Merlin said before proceeding to devour his food.

Percival and Leon gave each other a worried look. Elyan leaned over to Gwaine and whispered, "Do you think Merlin's alright?"

Before he could respond, the warlock interjected, "I'm fine guys, really." The knights were surprised. Elyan and Gwaine were the farthest away from Merlin. Plus with all the noise, he shouldn't have been able to hear them.

"If you say so" Elyan said. The knights dropped the matter and finished their dinner. Afterwards, they headed home in silence, none of them speaking about the way Merlin was acting. _Tonight was a weird night_, they all thought to themselves as they got ready for bed. _A weird night indeed._

* * *

When Lancelot arrived at the physician's quarters, both looked relieved. After he explained what happened with Merlin on the training field and Gaius relayed what happened this morning, both agreed that his behavior worsened whenever the shoulder was mentioned. The only question was why.

The sun had almost finished setting over Camelot when Merlin walked in. Both Lancelot and Gaius greeted the young warlock, but, not even acknowledging his friend or his mentor, he went to his room and closed the door. After sharing a worried look, they continued searching the books, hoping to find an answer to what was going on with the warlock.

It wasn't until the sun had finally set that they heard a commotion coming from Merlin's room. At first, it started off with a couple of things falling. When heavy objects were heard crashing to the floor, Gaius and Lancelot became curious.

"Merlin, is everything all right in there?"

No answer. Gaius tried again. "Merlin, are you okay?"

That's when they heard it. Merlin began to scream and the scream quickly turned into a deep, unearthly roar. Startled, Gaius and Lancelot ran to the door. "Open the door Merlin" the physician said. Something heavy was keeping it closed.

"No...Stay awayrrrr!"

"That's it, we're coming in Merlin!" Lancelot yelled before kicking the door. After the third attempt, the door gave way.

The room was in disarray. The bed was turned over, papers and various books littered the ground. Everything was ruined. In the midst of the mess, a pair of red eyes stared at the two men from the darkness.

Immediately, Lancelot pushed Gaius behind him and pulled out his sword. He would not let this creature harm Gaius. _Wait, where's Merlin?, _he frantically thought. Apparently Gaius was thinking the same thing because he too was searching the room for his ward.

It wasn't long before the creature stepped from the shadows. It's black body almost made it blend with the room. The horns on its head, its fangs, and claws were sharp as daggers. Even the wings were in a menacing position. It wasn't until its red eyes faded to white that the two men gasped.

This was the beast Arthur described to them - the strange looking wyvern. But how did it get here?...and where was Merlin?

Then Gaius noticed something loosely hanging off the wyvern's arm: it was a red neckerchief. Suddenly, everything made sense to the physician - Merlin's behavior, the strange infection, his eyes, everything.

Gaius snapped out of his daze when Lancelot moved to slay the beast. "No Lancelot, stop!" he yelled.

That threw off the knight. "Why?" Meanwhile, the beast, sensing the confusion, took advantage of the opportunity. After growling at both men, it backed up to the corner, jumped through the window and flew away, leaving the neckerchief behind in the ravaged room.

"Why did we let it go? I had it, Gaius!" Lancelot yelled, frustrated that the monster escaped. There was no telling what it could do now.

The physician sighed and left the room. He sat down on his work bench and sighed again. "Oh, my boy".

"Gaius, what aren't you telling me?"

"I didn't let you kill it because that wyvern... _is_ Merlin."

* * *

Anatol felt the surge of magic rush through her. Smiling evilly, she looked at Morgana and Morgause. "The curse has been set in motion. Now all we have to do is gather our forces and Camelot will soon be ours."

* * *

**Muahaha, aren't I evil-ish. XD So, what will happen to our hero now? And what are the three witches up to? Any thoughts?**

**PLEASE, please review. I've been getting 2 or 3 reviews per chapter and while and I'm not trying to be ungrateful, I would like to read more...please. It puts a smile on my face every time I get one.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	8. For a Friend

**Holy Crap you guys! Thank you so, so much for the reviews I got last chapter. You guys inspired me so much that I wrote a chapter of the story (which will come much later) right then and there. So thanks to: readernurse, Revenge of the Red Pen, Boxerbee, and the two Guests who reviewed and thank you to those who have favorited the story and/or are reading. I write this for you guys! XD**

**Also, I just saw the trailer for Merlin Season 5. Granted, it wasn't good quality and I couldn't see most of it, but just hearing it made me squeal like a fan girl. If anyone went to SDCC 2012 and filmed it at all, please, **_**please, **_**post in on youtube so myself and others can enjoy it.**

**Okay, now back to the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin...again.**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - For a Friend**

Gaius stood up from the bench and went over to the book case. He pulled out a thick book and began rifling through its worn-out pages. Lancelot cocked his head to read the title: _Curses and Magical Beasts._

"Wait, what are you saying? You think Merlin is actually cursed?"

"It _would_ explain his behavior earlier today and the fact that the same wyvern Arthur described was in Merlin's room", the physician said while still searching the book.

"But still..."

"Aha! Here we go, I think I found it." Lancelot walked over to Gaius and looked at the page. On one side was the picture of the wyvern they just saw. On the other was a full description of the beast. "Listen to this Lancelot. It says: _This creature is known as a were-wyvern. Like the wyvern, it is a distant cousin of the dragon except that it's a creature of dark magic. Since its essence __**is**__ dark magic, it can only be controlled by the one who summoned it - not even the mighty Dragonlord can command it on his own. In the days of old, it was used by the High Priestesses to curse their enemies. With its ability to see aura, it will stop at nothing to bite the intended victim. There is only one kind in existence at a time. After its task is complete, it ceases to exist._

_In the hands of a warlock, the bite is only needed to finalize the curse. For a sorcerer, a second phase needs to be implemented - the curse itself. After the curse is incanted, the victim will change into the were-wyvern at night. After the fourth night of full transformation, the victim's human body will decay and in its place will be the creature itself; he will suffer its fate and will remain a were-wyvern for the rest of his life or until summoned again. Then the cycle starts anew."_

Gaius shut the book. Both physician and knight were left speechless. After five whole minutes of silence, Lancelot spoke up.

"So Merlin has only three more nights before he is stuck like that forever?"

"I'm afraid so".

"And the book doesn't mention a cure?"

"None"

"Well, we need to find him then. I'm going after him"

"Wait Lancelot, it's too dangerous to go right now. Who knows where he is?"

"I don't care Gaius. I _am_ going after him", Lancelot stated firmly. "After all he has sacrificed for us, for Camelot, for Arthur - not once even asking for anything in return - it is the very _least_ I can do for him".

Now, don't misjudge Gaius. The physician wanted nothing more than to find his ward, the man he always considered a son. However, he had to think about the consequences of this potentially reckless action. If he sent Lancelot, the knight could get injured. What if Merlin, in his wyvern form, bit Lancelot? Would he turn into one as well? If that was the case (though the book didn't specify), then they would lose two people to the curse. All in all, many things could go wrong if situations like these weren't properly thought through.

Despite his worrying, Gaius couldn't help but smile inwardly at the loyalty shown to his ward. _Merlin has selflessly helped so many people, it's time he receives some kindness in return_, he thought to himself. He looked at Lancelot to protest again, but was stopped by the determined look in the knight's eyes. Knowing that there was nothing he could say to change his mind, the physician sighed. "Be careful then. I doubt Merlin's in control of his actions right now."

"I will" he said as he headed out the door.

"And Lancelot". At this, the knight turned around to face Gaius one last time. "Promise me you'll find him".

The knight smiled before leaving the room. "I will" And he took off to find his friend.

* * *

_Fangs, claws, darkness. Something was chasing him. Every time he turned to see it, he would only catch a glimpse of a blurred figure. A faint roar and he took off again. He was running, sweating - gods, it was getting harder to breathe... but he had to keep moving._

_He turned around - fangs, claws, darkness - it was getting closer! Faster! Run faster! There it was again - that blood-curdling roar. A wrong step and he met the ground. He turned around for the final time and looked face-to-face with his doom._

_Fangs, claws, darkness - and he knew no more._

Merlin jolted from slumber, sweating profusely. A new day had dawned, the sun was up - altogether, it would've been a peaceful way to wake up except for the nightmare and the fact that he had no idea where he was (well, he was in the forest, but that didn't count) or how he got there. To top it all off, he lacked a shirt, had no shoes and worse, his favorite neckerchief was gone. _Well, at least I still have my pants!_

"What happened?", he moaned to himself. Of course there was no answer. As he began to lift himself up from the ground, last night's memories flooded his mind all at once. He clutched his throbbing head and sank back to the ground. _The wyvern's bite, the dark magic infecting him like a disease, the transformation, Gaius, Lancelot. Oh gods, did I hurt them?_

At this point, Merlin couldn't stop shaking and he didn't know if it was because of the pain, the shock, or the combination of both. Nonetheless, the young warlock knew he had to get up; he needed to figure out how to expel the dark magic within him. Forcing his shaking body to rise, Merlin stood, regained his balance, and began wandering around to find help soon.

So the young warlock wandered and wandered and by the time he stopped to take a break, it was past midday and still no sign of anyone. Sliding down the trunk of a tree, Merlin sat on the ground and let his body fall limp. He had never felt so tired before in his life. Worst of all, he didn't have the strength to use his magic or call Kilgharrah for help. His magic was trying to fight off the dark magic. The end result was a stalemate that weaken him both magically and physically.

While figuring out what to do next, the snap of twig brought him back to reality. "Who's there', he asked. Being only able to barely move, Merlin moved his head in the direction of the noise. If he was in danger, he wanted to see what he was dealing with. Last night's nightmare came to mind, but Merlin shook the feeling away, telling himself that it was just a dream.

Whoever was there decided to step from the forest and happily greeted the warlock. When Merlin saw who it was, he sighed in relief. "Lancelot!..."

* * *

Arthur was not a happy man. First of all, he was woken up early because a few townspeople claimed to have sighted a dark, winged beast flying away last night. Yes, the description _did_ match that of the black wyvern he saw the other day, but there was no need to stir him from slumber _this_ early in the morning.

Then, Lancelot and Merlin had to go and bloody disappear without letting anybody know. _Great!_

And now, he was forced to track the beast down and kill it. Upon hearing the news, Arthur headed to Gaius' to consult the physician and to see if he knew anything about the creature.

"Gaius, can I talk to you for a minute?", he asked after entering the room.

"Certainly Arthur"

"Do you know anything about the creature from the other day...you know, the one that bit Merlin?"

Gaius paused for a moment. If he told Arthur about Merlin's situation, it would only make the prince act rashly. Despite what he may say, the physician knew how much Arthur cared for Merlin. They were brothers in everything but blood and only the ignorant were too prideful to see it. In circumstances like these, it was best to handle it privately. Besides, he had faith that Lancelot would be able to find his ward in time.

For now, he wouldn't tell Arthur.

"I'm not sure Sire" he lied. "All I was able to discover was that it is a creature of dark magic". _Well at least that part wasn't a lie_, he thought to himself.

"Okay Gaius, I'll be careful then", the prince said. As he made his way to the door, Arthur stopped and asked, "By the way, do you know where my useless manservant is Gaius?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't. Last time I saw him was before I went to bed"

"Well, if you see him, tell him he better have a good excuse for not showing up this morning" and with that, the prince walked away leaving a worried physician alone in his room. _Oh my boy, I hope you're alright._

* * *

It was still morning when Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (minus Lancelot of course) set out to look for the mysterious beast. Arthur felt weird not having Merlin by his side and vaguely wondered where he was. _If he's in the tavern again, I swear..._, Arthur thought to himself.

"By midday, we will all meet here" Arthur said when the group had reached the clearing in front of the gates. "If you're not back by then, we will assume the worse so please don't be late", he said looking at Gwaine in particular.

"Hey, I'm always on time!", the knight protested.

"If you're as punctual as Merlin, then we'll definitely be looking for you later on", Arthur joked.

"Where is he anyway?" Elyan asked, saying what was on everyone's mind.

"I'm not sure and I'm not too worried. Right now, we have a wyvern to catch and by the description, it sounds like it's the same one that attacked Merlin the other day", the prince stated. Everyone was all ears when he told them the news. "So let's find the beast and rid ourselves of this abomination", he proclaimed and with a burst of renew energy, the prince and the knights rode their separate ways.

By midday, everyone had made their way back to the clearing. Despite their valiant effort, there was no sign of the wyvern. Dismissing his knights for a restful rest-of-the-day off, Arthur went to the stables. He needed to ask the stable master a question.

"Excuse me" he said when he found him.

"Sire, what a pleasure it is to see you. What do you require?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you've seen Merlin or Lancelot today?"

"Hmmm...I can't say that I've seen Merlin... but Lancelot, if I recall, left in the middle of the night. I was up tending to one of the injured horses when he came in asking for one. He said that he had some 'urgent business' to take care of".

When the stable master finished, Arthur paused. Where did Lancelot go in such a hurry? What was so urgent that he couldn't tell anyone? Then it hit him. Maybe Merlin was missing and Lancelot probably went to find him. They were really good friends - there was no doubt that the knight would go after him.

Arthur then began to worry. If Lancelot left to find Merlin in the middle of the night and it was already past midday, then something could've happened to the both of them.

_Merlin_. The prince thought about the man who had become his first _true_ friend. He was loyal and brave - all knightly traits - however, his gentleness and sage-like wisdom stood him apart from the rest. Anyone can act brave, but only a chosen few have the courage to confront their fears head on, despite knowing the dangers, to protect the defenseless. And fewer still had the wisdom to follow their heart and do what is right.

Merlin, no doubt, was also a man of mystery. He may not know much about him, but Arthur knew one thing. He was lucky to have a friend like Merlin and he hoped it would stay that way for the rest of their lives.

Snapping himself back to reality, Arthur looked at the patiently waiting stable master, requested a rested horse, saddled up, and rode off to find his knight and best friend.

* * *

**So, that's the chapter. Tell me what you thought and don't think that I forgot about the three evil sorceresses just yet. They'll be showing their evilness again soon (maybe not next chapter, but soon nonetheless).**

**Can't wait for Merlin Season 5 this Fall!**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	9. Found

**Thank you Revenge of the Red Pen, Boxerbee, readernurse, and the Guest for reviewing and thanks to all who are reading. The support is awesome and appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Found**

Lancelot wandered all night long and still no sign of Merlin. It turns out that tracking a flying creature was harder than it sounded, especially when said creature blended in with the darkness and didn't leave any marks on the ground. When the sun rose and he was deep in the Darkling Woods, the knight decided to go back and try looking for his friend on the opposite side of the forest.

By the time he got there, it was already past midday - still no Merlin. No matter, Lancelot refused to give up. _Merlin would never give up on us_, he thought to himself. This fueled his determination and he promised himself that he would find Merlin before the sun set.

So, you could imagine Lancelot's joy when he came upon the clearing where he found his friend leaning against a tree, exhausted, but still alive.

"...Lancelot!"

"Merlin!", the knight almost yelled before running to his tired-looking friend. He was relieved to find the warlock safe. Seeing that he was topless, Lancelot rifled through his bag and tossed him his spare shirt. Even though it wasn't his size, the young warlock gladly took it (after all, beggars can't be choosers).

"Thanks Lancelot"

"It was nothing" the knight said before grabbing something else out of his bag. "Here, take it. I'm sure you're famished". Merlin smiled, took the bread and began eating it, now only realizing how hungry he really was.

The knight sat down by his friend and they sat in silence, the only sound being Merlin chomping away at his food. "Lancelot, what are you doing here?" the warlock asked once he was done.

"What am _I_ doing? I was looking for you all night. Gaius and I were worried about you, especially after..." Lancelot trailed off, remembering the curse. He looked at his friend, only to find him starring guiltily at the ground. After sighing deeply, he asked, "What do you remember from last night?"

"I remember...everything. The burning pain in my shoulder, the dark magic coursing through my body, the darkness consuming me..." he began. His eyes widened in horror, "I couldn't control myself. I couldn't stop it! I..I...did I hurt Gaius?"

"No Merlin. Don't worry, Gaius is unharmed, as am I". At this, the young warlock sighed in relief. He put his hands to his eyes to hold back his tears. Lancelot, seeing the fear and frustration in his friend, put his hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"What's wrong with me Lancelot? I feel so helpless right now."

The knight frowned. Merlin was always the optimistic one of the group. For him to feel this way...well, it wasn't good. "Gaius and I did some research. It seems like you have been bitten by a creature known as a _were-wyvern_."

When Merlin looked at him, clearly confused, Lancelot continued to explain everything they knew about the curse. This resulted in another moment of ominous silence, both men taking in the information and the gravity of the situation.

"I guess there is only one thing that I can do. I have to leave Camelot for good" Merlin said, smiling sadly at the knight.

"What? No! There has to be another way. We _will_ find a way to lift the curse!" Lancelot said determinedly.

"Lancelot, if I stay, I'm a danger to everyone. There's nothing we can do and..." Merlin began, but Lancelot wouldn't hear any of it.

"NO! I refuse to believe that. There has to be a way!"

"Lancelot, it's fine. I'm not important compared to..."

At this, the knight stood up angrily. "No. Just stop it Merlin! Don't say another word." Lancelot exclaimed angrily. "How can you say that? You are just as important as the rest of us. No Merlin! Just for once, would you please think about yourself instead of Arthur, or Camelot, or anyone else for that matter." Merlin was left speechless and the knight took this as his cue to continue.

"Everything you do, you do for others, never once taking your own well being into consideration. And I know you said your destiny is to keep Arthur safe, but...but... but why does it always have to be you?" At this, Merlin smiled sadly.

"You're a kind soul Merlin. You have all this power, all this magic at your disposal and use it to protect the ones you love. You live the life of a lowly servant and constantly put your life on the line to defend the same people who would sentence you to death the instant they discovered your magic - and still you ask for no recognition".

"So don't say that you're not important Merlin, because you are to all of us. And _that_ is why I cannot sit here and just give up on you - because you would never give up on one of us. We _will_ find a way to break the curse, you can count on that" Lancelot said with conviction.

Merlin was touched. He knew Lancelot always looked out for him but he didn't know that he felt _this_ strongly about the matter. Though he was happy to know that he was appreciated, the warlock knew deep down that it was going to be hard to find a way to break his curse.

"Lancelot, I.." he began, but was cut off by the rustling of the bushes. Both knight and warlock were left in shock when the blonde figure stepped out from the shadow of the forest.

"Ar..Arthur..."

* * *

Arthur searched for Lancelot and Merlin for the remainder of the day. It was by some miracle that he found what he presumed to be Lancelot's trail. Not questioning how he missed it or the fact that this could be potentially dangerous, Arthur quickly moved his tired horse to follow it. It was lead to the Darkling Woods.

By the time he found Lancelot's horse alone, tied to a tree, the sun was beginning to set. Being the skilled hunter that he was, the prince tied his horse next to the other and followed the trail through the bramble. A couple minutes later, he saw a clearing with two figures talking with one another on the ground. It was Merlin and Lancelot - he found them at last!

At this point, Arthur's plan was to stroll in, poke fun at his friend to hide his worry (though he would never admit it), and bring them home where he would demand to know why they left Camelot (and where the hell Merlin was this morning).

However, destiny has a funny way of bringing things together.

As the prince drew nearer, the conversation his friends were having seemed to be getting tense. Instead of barging through in a prattish manner (as Merlin would call it), he decided he would rather listen in. _Great, I'm starting to sound like Merlin_, he thought to himself. When he was close enough, Lancelot decided to abruptly stand and hover over an exhausted-looking Merlin.

"No. Just stop it Merlin! Don't say another word. How can you say that? You are just as important as the rest of us. No Merlin! Just for once, would you please think about yourself instead of Arthur, or Camelot, or anyone else for that matter", the knight yelled.

_This is starting to look interesting_, Arthur thought to himself.

"Everything you do, you do for others, never once taking your own well being into consideration. And I know you said your destiny is to keep Arthur safe, but...but... but why does it always have to be you?"

At this, the young prince scrunched his brow in confusion. _Merlin thinks it's his destiny to keep me safe? The idiot can barely keep himself out of trouble let alone 'keep me safe', whatever __**that's**__ suppose to mean_. Yes, he knew Merlin was loyal to a fault, but he just figured that it was a misplaced sense of duty. _And he's your friend_, a little voice in the back of his head reminded him.

However, it was the first part that worried Arthur. He knew, to some extent, that Merlin was a rather self-less man. In fact, he was the most self-less person he had ever known. The way Lancelot said it made it seem like Merlin took the word 'self-less' to a whole new level - a rather unsettling one.

"You're a kind soul Merlin. You have all this power, all this magic at your disposal and use it to protect the ones you love..."

Time seemed to stop as the last of these words came from Lancelot's mouth. _Merlin has magic? Merlin has magic!_ The prince stayed there, mouth hanging in disbelief and anger. Magic was evil, but neither was his friend...or was he?

Had all this time been a lie? Had Merlin wormed his way into the prince's good graces to simply use him, or was there a genuine brotherly bond between them? What made all of this worse was the fact that his best friend had lied to him. Arthur had already felt the sting of betrayal when he found out about Morgana's treachery. To find out this way that Merlin had magic just hurt too much.

Arthur passively listened to the rest of what Lancelot had to say. Despite what the knight said about Merlin's self-less loyalty, every time he glanced at the warlock, all he saw was the man who had lied to him for many years.

Arthur decided that the time had come to confront the two men once and for all. Standing up tall, the young Prince of Camelot marched into the clearing. It was time he got some answers.

* * *

**There it is, the BIG REVEAL (or at least the beginning of it). I was actually writing this chapter while watching the Merlin movie with Sam Neil (yes, smiles like fan girl). XD**

**Next time will be a Arthur-Merlin 'confrontation'. Like always, please drop a review.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	10. Secrets

**First off, I would like to thank Boxerbee and Knighted-Geek for reviewing the last chapter. I was a little bummed-out that I just got 2 reviews but I appreciate them all the same guys. So thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Secrets**

Fear instantly gripped Merlin when Arthur marched into the clearing, anger clearly written on his face. There was no doubt about it - the young prince heard everything.

Lancelot, seeing the prince, was also caught off guard. Still, he did his best not to show it. As Arthur got closer, the knight protectively stepped in front of his friend.

"Arthur" Lancelot greeted hesitantly.

When he was a few feet in front of Lancelot, the prince stopped and stared at Merlin. Unbeknownst to Merlin, Arthur was contemplating what he was _actually_ going to do. Was his friend evil and deserved to be killed or was there something he didn't know? Only when the knight shifted uncomfortably that Arthur's attention turned to Lancelot.

"You knew?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, but Arthur, that's not the point. He..."

"Leave us", he said coldly. "I need to talk to Merlin...alone".

"No. Arthur, you have to listen..."

"I said leave! Now!", Arthur yelled.

"But..."

"Lancelot, it's fine." Merlin interrupted, smiling sadly.

Lancelot looked at his friend, pity in his eyes. _This is going to be hard for him. Merlin has faced many foes, but revealing to Arthur his deepest secret is the one thing he fears the most_, he thought. "Good luck" he muttered to his friend who, in turn, gave him a sad smile.

Looking at the prince, Lancelot spoke up. "I'll be by the horses - no doubt that you found mine - if _any_ of you need me." Arthur nodded his head. "And Arthur, please just _listen_ to him" _'Cause if anything happens to him you'll have to deal with me_, was the unspoken message. The young prince just glared at the knight as he left the clearing.

...And then there were two.

* * *

Both warlock and prince stayed silent in the clearing. Merlin was too afraid to speak up and quite frankly, he was still exhausted from wandering in the forest all morning (not to mention that his magic was still weak). After a couple of minutes, which felt like eternity, Merlin gathered the courage to speak up.

"Arthur, I don't know where to start. What did you hear exactly?", Merlin asked cautiously.

The young prince scoffed and shook his head. "Oh, I heard enough to know that you have...". Arthur paused and let the information sink in again. "Merlin...all this time you..."

"Arthur, I..."

"You lied to me! To _me_, your best friend! How...how could you?", Arthur snapped, letting out all his anger on Merlin. "I've shared with you many of my deepest secrets, things I've never told anyone, not even my own _father_. And _you_, you couldn't trust me enough to tell me this!" At this point the prince was pacing which Merlin knew from experience that _that _was not a good sign. Seeing this, the young warlock decided to stand up and truly face his friend.

"Arthur, I wanted to tell you for so long but..."

"Oh, and to top it all off, you have magic. Stupid, bloody magic Merlin! Something that could - _will_ - get you killed!"

Merlin gulped at the statement. "Arthur, I was..."

"What were you thinking practicing magic?"

"Arthur, I..."

"In Camelot of all places!"

"Arthur, I was born with magic!" Merlin yelled impatiently.

At this point, the prince's anger had reached its climax. In the blink of an eye, Arthur tackled Merlin and pinned him against the tree he just got up from. The young warlock, who was struggling to breathe, looked up at his assailant. For a moment, their eyes met. Arthur's was full of anger and confusion while Merlin's was full of fear and resignation.

"That's a lie. No-one is _born_ with magic. That's impossible".

"Arthur...I'm not...let me...explain." Merlin said between breaths.

The prince pushed his friend harder against the tree. "Promise me then. Promise me on your life that you aren't lying. And if you are..."

"I promise", the young warlock chocked out, black dots hovering in his vision.

Seeing no hint of deception in his eyes, Arthur released Merlin who took in a deep breath and massaged his tender throat. "Then explain". And Merlin did - he explained how he could move things as little child, how he didn't need to incant spells for his magic to work, and how before coming to Camelot his magic was purely instinctual, coming to his aid when he needed it most.

After a short period of contemplative silence, the prince asked the question that was on his mind the moment he found out. "When have you used magic?"

Merlin knew this was coming. Shaking his head, he looked up at the sun sinking over the horizon and smiled sadly.

"It's a long story. A _very_ long story."

"Name a few then", Arthur, whose temper had drastically quelled, said before sitting on the grass.

Sighing, Merlin followed suit and began recalling different moments when he used magic to save the prince's life. He spoke of the many times where a branch would _just happen _to fall on an enemy and how many unsuspecting bandits would seem to trip over air on their way to sneak up on the prince. He told him of Morgana's Skeleton Army and how, three months ago, he and Lancelot fought their way to the Cup of Life and emptied it of the blood which, in turn, destroyed the Immortal Army. Although Merlin _didn't_ mention the dragon yet (he was hoping to tell Arthur at a better time when he was calm), the warlock retold other occasions where the prince's life was in danger and magic was the solution. Granted, it wasn't all of his adventures since he came to Camelot, but it was enough, he hoped, to convince his friend that he had only used magic for good.

All of this information left Arthur stunned. Merlin had no choice in magic and much as he had in being a prince. As he listened to the warlock, he heard the same old wisdom that had given him the courage to face Morgana when she overthrew the king. It was at this moment that Arthur realized that Merlin _was_ truly wise - but it came with a price, a burden too heavy for one to carry alone.

When it seemed that Merlin was done for now (Arthur suspected that there was more to be said), both men remained silent. His friend (for that was what he truly was) bowed his head in submission and guilt.

The prince stood up. "Merlin".

No answer. The prince winced in guilt.

"I'm sorry." At this, the warlock's head shot up, tears threatening to spill out. "I'm sorry you had to go through it alone. And though I'm still hurt that you didn't tell me, I think I understand why. In your position, I probably would've done the same. The only thing left to say is...well, I guess...thank you."

It took a moment for the message to settle in, but when it did Merlin slowly gave his signature grin. It was always foretold that he and Arthur would bring magic and peace back to the land, but with the prince hating magic more and more with each passing day, the young warlock found his faith wavering at times. So, at his friend's words, his hope in the world they would build together was renewed. Arthur, seeing the 'stupid grin' on his friend's face, went back into obnoxious-prince mode.

"Oh, wipe that stupid grin off your face _Mer_lin. You're going to the stocks for lying to me and worrying...er, everybody else at home."

Merlin, taking note of the bantering tone of his friend, grinned mischievously. "Sorry Sire. Didn't know you cared".

"Like I said, _everybody else_ back home"

"Sure...Prat"

"Idiot"

Arthur offered Merlin his hand to help him get up. Still exhausted, the warlock leaned heavily against the prince as they began walking from the clearing. Before they reached the forest edge, Arthur asked one last question.

"So Merlin, where were you all this time?"

The young warlock immediately stopped walking. With Arthur finding out about his magic and all, Merlin had completely forgotten about the curse. He turned his head and looked at the setting sun. _Oh no! It's almost done setting! I have to get away!_ Seeing this, he pushed himself away from Arthur and distanced himself from his friend as far as he could.

Arthur was confused at his friends strange behavior. With every step he made towards the warlock, Merlin would take one step back. "Merlin, what's going on?"

"Arthur, you have to leave"

"But why?" The prince gave a hurt look. "If you're worried that I'm going to turn you in..." _Does he __**still **__not trust me,_ he thought painfully.

"No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?" Arthur yelled. He was getting agitated. What was Merlin not telling him?

"I...I've been..." Merlin said. He looked at the sun - it had just set. Forcing the magic that was fighting off the curse to rise, his eyes flashed gold and Arthur was sent flying into the forest. The warlock then took off in the opposite direction.

* * *

_Fangs._ He was running - away from his friend and away from the darkness. He didn't get very far when the pain shot through his body. Starting from his injured shoulder, it spread until it completely consumed him.

_Claws._ He needed to do something and fast. Arthur was close by. If he couldn't get far away from him, there was a chance that his friend might die. Gathering what little strength he had, he lifted his head to the sky and roared. "Kilgharrah! Come to my aid!"

_Darkness._ With the last of his strength gone, the warlock fell on the ground and let the darkness consume him. A blood-curdling roar was the last thing he heard.

_And he knew no more_.

* * *

**What will happen to Arthur? Find out next time and leave a review to tell me what you think.**

**IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT THE STORY! (whew, I got your attention). My family and I are going on vacation this week and I won't be home nor will I have access to my laptop for a whole week. But fret not my loyal readers, I will definitely post one chapter (or two - if I'm feeling generous) before I leave Friday. So stay tuned.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	11. An Unexpected Friend

**Thanks to Boxerbee and TheReinbachDragonlord (HOLY CRAP - four consecutive reviews). For you guys, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 10 - An Unexpected Friend**

Lancelot had faith in Merlin, he really did - but that didn't stop him from being worried about the boy. He knew that the warlock feared the day when he would have to reveal to Arthur his magic. Although he wanted to stay, he knew that Merlin and Arthur both needed to talk it out.

Hopefully, things would turn out for the better.

The knight walked back to the forest where he tied his horse and sure enough, Arthur's horse was right next to his. Sitting on the grass, Lancelot leaned against a tree and waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

It wasn't until the sun was setting that he stood up and began pacing. He told Merlin to call if he needed him. He hadn't heard anything so everything should be okay, right? _So then, what was taking them so long?_, he thought. _Surely they should be done by now, the sun's setting and..._

Oh no. Lancelot had forgotten all about the curse. He had thought that silence was a good thing, but in this case it was quite the opposite. Frantically the knight ran towards the clearing, his stomach tightening from anxiety. He prayed that he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Arthur was feeling a lot of things. Annoyance, anger, confusion, a slight pain in his back where he hit the tree, confusion again, etc... one moment, he and Merlin were walking back to the horses and the next, said friend pushed him away and took off - quite hard too and with magic.

The prince was shaken from his thoughts when heard the sound of scuffling feet and, before he knew it, someone slammed into him.

"Arthur!"

"Lancelot! I thought I told you..."

"I know Sire, but I saw the sun setting and I had to come and ..." Lancelot rambled, almost too quickly for Arthur to fully comprehend. He only stopped when he noticed something missing. "Where's Merlin?"

"I don't know" Arthur admitted and looked away from the knight. He was still confused as to why Merlin used magic on him. Yes, Arthur was angry, but he was hurt too...and not just physically. The prince knew that he had a loyal friend, but why did he run away? After what they just talked about, did he _really_ not trust him? Looking back at Lancelot, Arthur continued. "He was acting strange all of a sudden. He blasted me away and just took off"."

"Oh no, I'm too late."

"Lancelot, what's going on? You know something, don't you."

"Arthur it's a long story. You see, Merlin...he's been..." but he was interrupted by the sound of a terrifying roar that sent shivers down both men.

"What...was that!" Arthur asked.

Not wasting time, Lancelot grabbed the prince and pushed him towards the horses. "We need to leave now!"

"But Merlin's still back there!"

The knight bit his lip. There was nothing he could do now. The sun had already set. The Merlin they knew was gone. "There's no time!" he yelled back. Both men ran to the horses and took off.

While riding away, Arthur yelled to Lancelot, "What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

Before the knight could answer, a black figure jumped in their path. Too dark to see it clearly, the evil creature roared at the group, causing the horses to panic. Immediately, Arthur steered his steed away and took off. It was when he entered an open field that he realized that somehow, he and Lancelot got separated.

Turning his horse around to find his knight, the prince began moving back to the forest when the dark creature jumped in front of him. Scaring the horse senseless, the animal reared up and ran away leaving the prince lying on the ground.

Arthur immediately stood up and drew his sword. The moon was shining brightly on the field, thus allowing the prince to actually see the beast he was facing. To his utter astonishment, Arthur realized that the creature was the wyvern they were looking for. _The wyvern that bit Merlin_, he thought grudgingly.

The black wyvern growled and bore its fangs while slowly circling the prince, its piercing white eyes focused on its prey. Arthur, noticing the familiar action of many predators, followed suit. After what seemed like eternity, the beast lunged at him.

He deflected the first blow only to be met with another claw coming straight for him. Blocking it with ease, Arthur aimed for the creature's exposed chest. It was a clear shot...until the wyvern used its wings as a shield and pushed the prince away. Fumbling a bit, he quickly gained his footing just in time to duck underneath its swinging tail.

With a sudden burst of strength, the wyvern growled before going on the offensive. It began viciously attacking Arthur to the point where all he could do was block the attacks. _It's more aggressive than the last time we fought_, Arthur thought as he dodged another blow.

Though it frustrated Arthur to be put on the defensive, the prince waited. With every blow, he knew that the wyvern was getting tired. Once he found an opening, it would be his time to strike again.

After a couple more minutes, his patience was rewarded. With all the grace and skill becoming of the First Knight of Camelot, Arthur thrust his sword at the wyvern. Though the blow didn't pierce its hard skin, it was strong enough to knock it back. Now, the tables were reversed.

Slashing at the beast, Arthur forced the wyvern back. Its wings rose to defend itself but it didn't lessen the impact of the blows. With one firm strike, the prince knocked the beast to the ground.

After catching his breath and letting the adrenaline rush subside, Arthur walked over to the unconscious wyvern and raised his sword, poised to strike. As he was about to bring it down to fell the beast, a voice cut him off.

"Arthur stop!"

Arthur's head snapped to the forest edge to see Lancelot on his horse. Brows knit in confusion, the prince yelled back, "Why?"

"Because _that's_ Merlin!"

* * *

The Prince of Camelot was left speechless and his mind was racing. _This_ was Merlin? How could this..._thing_ be his friend? What the heck was going on?

Unfortunately for Arthur, at the sound of its name the wyvern's eyes shot open. Taking the prince by surprise, it tripped him with its tail, rushed at the prince, and pinned him to the ground the same way Merlin was being held down before.

Arthur stared at the wyvern - or should he say Merlin - with pleading eyes, hoping to find his best friend somewhere hidden within the beast.

He found nothing.

The wyvern lifted its head to the night sky and roared over the prince. At that moment, Arthur knowing that this would be his end, closed his eyes in resignation.

He heard the sound of running footsteps.

Someone yelled his name.

He vaguely heard the sound of flapping in the distance.

The breath of the wyvern hit his face as it drew closer...and closer...and closer.

He felt its weight as it tightened its hold on him.

And he felt true fear as he took his last breath.

And then all of a sudden, the weight was gone - literally, he didn't feel the weight of the wyvern pressing down on him. Slowly opening his eyes, Arthur was left in shock at the scene.

The Great Dragon (the one he supposedly killed) had knocked the wyvern off of him. Within seconds, it had pinned the evil creature with its left claw. Although it struggled, the wyvern couldn't break free from the Great Dragon's mighty grasp.

The prince stood, his mouth hanging in shock (once again). _What just happened!_ The Great Dragon was supposed to be dead. He should know, he killed it...didn't he?_ I killed it! Merlin told me I..._The prince stopped his train of thought. _Of course the bloody dragon's still alive! What other secrets has the idiot kept from me?_

"It's nice to finally meet you, young Pendragon, though I wish it wasn't under such circumstance", the dragon said.

Snapping out of his daze, the Crown Prince of Camelot asked the most important question he could think of at the moment. "You can talk?"

"Yes. How observant of you". At this, the prince scowled. _He's just like Merlin_, he mused. By this time, Lancelot, hesitant at first, had finally reached Arthur.

"Arthur, are you okay?", he asked, his eyes still fixed on the dragon.

"I'm fine Lancelot" he answered before glaring upwards. "You're supposed to be dead! How...?"

"We have more pressing matters Pendragon", Kilgharrah growled. "I cannot deal with you right now. My Dragonlord is in need of my assistance."

"Dragonlord! Are you kidding me? You're telling me that Merlin's a bloody Dragonlord now!", he yelled. Lancelot put his hand on Arthur's shoulders, effectively gaining the prince's attention and calming him down.

"There's a lot you - _we_ don't know about Merlin. I already asked you once to listen. Now please, do it once more. Let the dragon do what it needs to do", the knight said. Merlin had once mentioned something to him about the Great Dragon being an ally, so Lancelot knew it wouldn't do them any harm. Still, he couldn't help be feel shaken at the power that emanated from the mighty creature before them.

It took a couple seconds for the knight's words to sink in. Lancelot was right, he needed to stay calm ...and he realized that yelling at a creature that could probably kill him with less than a blow _wasn't_ a good idea.

After a deep breath, he looked at Kilgharrah. "Is this really Merlin?" On cue, both men turned and looked at the still struggling wyvern.

"I'm afraid so".

"Can you help him?"

"I'll try". With that Kilgharrah took a deep breath and focused his mind on Merlin's.

The past day, he had felt the warlock try to contact him, but something was in the way. He tried calling back, but something had interfered once again. And little earlier, he had barely heard the Dragonlord's plea for help. Now, seeing the situation Merlin was in, there was no doubt in his mind. Powerful dark magic was at work.

When he finally made contact, the wyvern began thrashing wildly. It took two claws and most of Kilgharrah's strength to keep it still.

_-Merlin... Merlin!_

_-Kilgharrah?_

_-You need to regain control young warlock._

_-I can't. I've tried. It's too strong._

_-Merlin! You are a Dragonlord! Such a creature is yours to command._

_-But not even a Dragonlord can command such dark magic._

_-Even so, you forget that you are also Emrys! The man who is to bring magic back to the land. The man who is to aid the Once and Future King in building a world of peace and prosperity. If you give up now, you will kill Albion. You will kill all of your friends. You will __**kill**__ Arthur. Now fight it Merlin!_

And he did.

Feeling the Dragonlord's renewed strength, Kilgharrah let go of the wyvern to the dismay of both men. The wyvern stood up and began (what can only be described as) fighting with itself, its head swaying from one side to the other. It eyes flashed from white to gold, then to red and back to gold and it kept doing that for quite some time. Then suddenly, it raised its head to the night sky, eyes brilliantly gold, and roared.

_-'Ic i __béo sé __endefæstend __ealdhláford sylfum dracentse ond __Ic i __béo Emrys. Ic __i __behieldee sé ríce hátan __þu__ ond __þu__ manest níedhæs._

_-Drýcræft sylfum deorcnes wiðinnan, biþ geleoren!''_

* * *

In a cave deep in the forest, three women stood there plotting their next move. Anatol suddenly jolted upward to the surprise of the other two ladies.

"What's wrong?" Morgause asked.

"Something's happened." Anatol replied. "The curse...I've lost connection with it".

"What do you mean?" There was a long dramatic pause before the red-haired sorceress walked to the entrance of the cave and looked up to the sky. " Something's broken my connection with the were-wyvern. Right now, I can't control it".

* * *

**There it is. Please leave me a review, even if it's one word. Suggestions, comments, criticisms, and the like are always welcome.**

**Spell Translation:**

_**I am the last dragon lord and I am Emrys. I hold the power to command you and you will obey.**_

_**Magic of darkness within, be gone!**_

**The next chapter should be up by Friday.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	12. More Plotting and Bad News

**Thank you Knighted-Geek, Revenge of the Red Pen, and Boxerbee for reviewing last chapter. As promised, here is the next chapter before I take leave. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 11 - More Plotting and Bad News**

Anatol couldn't believe it. Somehow, someone had broken the control she had on the were-wyvern. Granted, the curse wasn't broken, but without anyone to control it, their plan wouldn't work.

Morgana was the first to break the silence. "What do you mean 'you can't control it'? I thought you said nothing else could"

"I know what I said!" Anatol snapped. At this point, she didn't care if it was Morgana she was speaking to. The red-haired sorceress was frustrated. Only someone extremely powerful could do this. Whoever had the gall to interfere would pay.

At the snappy retort, Morgana glared at Anatol, who returned the favor. Seeing the tension, Morgause stepped in. "Anatol, what is going on? How could someone sever the connection you have with the beast?"

Calming down a bit, Anatol replied, "I don't know exactly how. What I do know is that whoever did it is extremely powerful. No mere sorcerer or sorceress could even dream of damaging such a curse".

"Is there a way to fix it?"

At this, Anatol rifled through her belongings and took out her book, _Of Spells and Curses_. After flipping through the pages, she found the curse she had used, read the paragraphs following it, and smiled.

"Yes. Fortunately for us, there are ways to force more control...although the curse should strengthen over time. If I am to exert more control, the man I cursed - what's his name...Merlin? - has to be here".

"Then you better find him" Morgana said. Turning around, she pointed her hand at the cave wall and muttered a spell. _á__wréon! _Ice immediately sprouted from the wall and a picture of Merlin reflected on its crystal-like surface. "This is the man you'll be going after. Find him."

"Oh, believe me, I will." the sorceress said before grabbing her black cloak and leaving. Before exiting the cave, she turned around. "Where shall I bring the boy?"

"We will meet at the Castle of Fyrien" Morgause said. "It's a well fortified stronghold and our army will be able to prepare while we deal with the problem. Now go!"

At this, Anatol muttered a tracking spell and left the cave. After dealing with the boy, she would find the sorcerer responsible for damaging her curse...and make him pay.

* * *

Arthur's mouth was hanging. Not because the dragon let go of the wyvern - or should he say Merlin. No, he got over that rather quickly.

No. It was the fact that the prince had just heard the conversation between Merlin and the Great Dragon...in his mind! Thinking he was crazy at first, Arthur had glanced at Lancelot to see if he heard it too, but it didn't look that way.

The conversation itself had left him even more confused. What did the dragon mean by 'Once and Future King'? What was this 'Albion' he had spoken of? Who was Emrys and how was Merlin involved?

Then, of course, he was startled out of his train of thought when the wyvern roared painfully to the sky. It shouldn't have surprised him when he heard (again, in his mind) Merlin speaking in the ancient tongue. Though he couldn't understand it, Arthur somehow knew that whatever spell his friend had used had a deep meaning to it, like if it came from the very earth itself.

While contemplating everything, Arthur almost didn't notice when the wyvern grew quiet and collapsed on the ground.

"Merlin!" Lancelot cried out.

Arthur looked up at the dragon. "Is he alright?"

"I believe so Pendragon. He'll be conscious soon enough"

"What about the curse?" Lancelot asked.

"Curse!? What curse? You never mentioned anything about a curse" Arthur said indignantly.

"Oh yeah...I forgot to mention that Merlin's been cursed, hence the whole changing-into-a-wyvern-after-sunset deal...Sorry."

"Actually, it's a were-wyvern." Kilgharrah interrupted before Arthur could give Lancelot a piece of his mind. _Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?_

"What difference does it make _dragon_?"

"It makes all the difference _Pendragon_." At the use of his last name, the prince scowled.

"Would you stop that!" Arthur yelled. "I have a name, you know"

The dragon smiled, thus baring his pointed teeth slightly. "As do I, but you don't see me complaining"

Arthur furrowed his brows. "You have a name?" he said before scolding himself. _Obviously you dollop head. What, did you __**really**__ think that all dragons address each other by 'dragon'?'Hi __**dragon**__', 'how's it going __**dragon'**__, 'oh good and yourself __**dragon'**__. Sure, because __**that**__ makes perfect sense,_ a sarcastic voice, that strangely sounded like Merlin, said in his head. Kilgharrah, on his part, didn't even bother to comment at the question. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Arthur asked, "So what is it then?"

"It's..."

_"Kilgharrah", _a weak voice moaned in the prince's head. Arthur jumped and looked around to see if Lancelot heard it too. Strangely enough, the knight looked like he did.

"Did you hear that?" Arthur asked. Lancelot nodded his head.

"Ah, the young warlock has finally awaken" Kilgharrah said casually. At this, both men looked at their friend.

_"What happened?"_

"Merlin..." Arthur called out hesitantly. The prince was slightly in awe. Merlin was speaking telepathically.

At this, the wyvern lifted himself from the ground and stood up. _"Arthur. Lancelot. How did you guys get here?"_ He looked around the field. _"Where is 'here' anyway?"_

"Um...what do you remember?" Lancelot asked

_"Well, Arthur and I were leaving the clearing. Then... darkness and pain. I..."_ Merlin began but stopped when his memories of the past hour rushed to him. His white eyes widened, and the cursed warlock looked at his hands - or what should have been hands - to find that he had a pair of razor sharp claws instead. _"No, no this can't be happening!"_

Not realizing that Arthur and Lancelot could hear him, he twirled around and inspected himself in a panicked frenzy. A tail, a set of wings, and spikes down his back confirmed it. He was in the were-wyvern's form!

"I think he forgot that he's cursed." Lancelot observed to Arthur when Merlin began freaking out. Arthur, despite the situation, was laughing inwardly at his friend's antics. He just couldn't help it - the wyvern before him was flailing and spinning at the same time like a wild, bucking horse. At this point, it completely failed at 'striking terror' into anything.

Arthur _wasn't_ laughing when he found himself on the ground after being knocked down by Merlin's tail. _I probably deserved that_.

"Merlin, calm yourself" Kilgharrah commanded. Immediately, the warlock stopped his incessant spinning and took a deep breath.

_"Sorry about that"_ he apologized, not just to the dragon but to Arthur as well.

"No problem" Arthur grunted. Lancelot offered his hand and helped the prince up. Looking at the dragon, he nodded his head and said, "You saved my life. Thank you...Kilgharrah, is it?"

"That is correct...and you're welcome Sire", Kilgharrah replied before bowing his head, leaving a rather stunned prince. The dragon then looked to his Dragonlord. "I am sorry that I didn't come sooner Merlin".

_"The dark magic was too strong. I didn't think you'd even hear my call in the first place." _Merlin paused._ "How was I able to tame the were-wyvern? From what Lancelot told me, only the sorcerer who summoned it in the first place can control it."_

"As I said before young warlock, you are Emrys _and_ a Dragonlord. The power you were born with allows you to - how shall I put it - _bend_ the rules at times. As you can see, the curse isn't broken, but it _is_ weakened."

At the remark, Arthur turned to his friend. "Okay, what exactly is going on? No-one has actually informed me about anything, so please, I need someone to explain".

So Lancelot and Merlin both explained to Arthur what had happened, beginning with the moment they met the previous were-wyvern, to what Lancelot and Gaius discovered, and all the way to their present predicament. After a few moments of silence to let everything sink in, Arthur took a deep breath and looked over at the knight.

"Lancelot, could you give us some space. Merlin and I need to talk...again." he said. This time, however, his tone lacked any malice.

The knight nodded his head. "I'll see if I can find your horse Arthur" Lancelot called back before disappearing into the forest. Truth be told, he had no idea where _his_ steed went to since it also ran off when it saw the were-wyvern in the field. This was going to be a long night for him.

The prince, happy that his knight willingly left, looked at his friend. "I'm sorry Merlin. I should've protected you back at the clearing and..."

_"It's not your fault...you prat"_

"Here I am, trying to apologize and you're just calling me names! How is that fair?"

_"Because you deserve it. The world doesn't revolve around you, you dollop head, so stop blaming yourself for something that's not your fault. If anyone's to blame, it's whoever sent it in the first place"._

"Fine...idiot"

_"Clotpole"_

"Moron"

_"Dollop head"_

"I think", Kilgharrah interrupted, "we have more important matters to discuss than the childish act of name-calling".

Both prince and were-wyvern looked sheepishly at the ground. "He's right. So, let's recap", Arthur said turning to his friend. "You've been cursed to turn into a were-wyvern when the sun goes down. You have the power to control it _at_ the moment, but in a few days the curse will be completed and you'll be stuck like this forever. And to top it all off, we don't have a clue as to who cursed you or why he or she did it in the first place...Did I miss anything?"

_"That's about everything we know from the information we gathered from Gaius' book"_

"Actually, that book is incomplete", the dragon said. Merlin and Arthur gave him a quizzical look. "There is much that has not been written about many magical creatures, only what has been observed. The were-wyvern, like others, seldom appears thus why the information sorcerers have written about them is very limited."

_"But you know something, don't you"_, Merlin stated, to which the dragon nodded. _"Then spit it out...what is it?"_

"It is not something you'll want to hear...any of you, for that matter and I am not sure if it will help the situation at all" Kilgharrah said looking at both men.

_"Kilgharrah...please"_

Sighing, the dragon eyed his Dragonlord sadly. What he was about to say was definitely _not_ good news.

"Fine. If the cursed victim is killed before the final day, then it will be lifted but at the cost of him remaining that way forever."

"Wait, are you saying that...?" Arthur asked, fearing the answer he knew would come.

"Yes, I am. If Merlin dies before the last day of the curse, then he will remain a were-wyvern for the rest of his life and nothing could be done to change him back. The perpetual cycle of reincarnation the book spoke of would be broken and he wouldn't be under the control of the one who cursed him, but still..." he finished, leaving the last part hanging.

An eerie silence befell the group. Even Kilgharrah didn't have anything to say (and that was saying something). After what seemed like eternity, Merlin bowed his head in resignation, sighed deeply and spoke up.

_"I guess we have no choice. Arthur, you have to kill me"._

* * *

**Aww, slight cliff hanger. I'm mean...and you foolish mortals have to wait a week and a half until the next chapter (cue evil maniacal laughter in a Shal-Khan voice). XD**

**...Anyway...**

**Spell translation:**

_**á**__**wréon! - **_**Reveal**

**Just to clarify a bit more, while in his were-wyvern form, Merlin will speak telepathically (hence why his dialogue is italicized).**

**Drop a review and tell me what you think.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	13. Realizations

**Okay, first of all I had a great vacation and I didn't get a sunburn this time. XD And one of the best parts was when, at the hotel after I managed to finally get online (the internet reception was horribly complicated and weird), I checked my story and found that I had 44 reviews! Holy Crap, you guys are awesome!**

**So, I would like to thank: Revenge of the Red Pen, Boxerbee, readernurse (4 hugs for the 4 reviews), and TheReinbachDragonlord (2 hugs for the 2 reviews).**

**This chapter is full of Arthur-Merlin banter and slight bromance. Nothing really extraordinary happens here (like the world coming to an end or anything like that), but the information here is still important and worth reading (and I know I left everyone hanging last chapter, so on with the story).**

**Disclaimer: I **_**still**_** don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Realizations**

"What?!" Arthur shouted. _Did he really just say that?!_

_"Arthur..."_

"Like hell I will!"

_"Arthur, you don't understand"._

"Oh, I think I do Merlin and I will _not_ kill my best friend".

_"And I will not put my friends' lives in danger!"_ Merlin roared impatiently. The warlock was almost too frustrated to realize that he had unknowingly snarled at the prince, thus effectively shutting him up. Calming himself, Merlin dropped his head and continued. _"This is the only way Arthur. I would rather __**die**__ than risk being a threat to anyone, especially those I care about...and this way, I wouldn't be controlled at all"_

At this, Lancelot's words came back to mind. _Everything you do, you do for others, never once taking your own well being into consideration._ Now, Arthur truly realized what he meant. Every aspect of Merlin's life revolved around helping others to the best of his ability. He didn't go looking for praise or recognition. No. He always put others' well being before his own and, in turn, they always knew they could rely on him in any situation.

And the prince had definitely relied on his friend many times in the past.

If Arthur needed someone to talk to, Merlin was there. If he needed advice on anything, Merlin truthfully gave it. When all seemed lost, when there was no hope for the light to shine through the darkness, his friend was there to enkindle the flame of hope that had always brought him out of those difficult times. So when it came down to it, it would be no surprise that Merlin would do anything to protect those he loved, even at the cost of his own life.

"Merlin, it's not just that I won't kill you, it's that I _can't_." The wyvern's head snapped up. "You have always been there for me, through thick and thin. You were and are my first true friend and I..I..I just can't do it." Arthur paused.

"There must be a different way and I _will_ find it Merlin" Arthur finished determinedly.

_"But Arthur, Kilgharrah said there isn't..."_

"Actually, there is" the dragon's voice cut in. That got both of their attentions. Apparently, the prince and warlock seemed to have forgotten that Kilgharrah was still there.

_"But you said..."_

"I never said there isn't a way to break the curse. I only told you of a possible outcome" Kilgharrah said with, what can only be described as, a smug look. From time to time, the dragon _did_ find amusement in messing with his Dragonlord (why else would he speak in pointless riddles?). Despite the severity of the situation, the expression on Merlin's wyvern face was priceless.

"So there is a way though?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"Indeed. For a curse this strong, this deeply rooted in dark magic, there is only one way to fully break it...and that's its one weakness. True love".

There was a moment of complete silence. "What?! Are you saying that _Mer_lin here has to be..._kissed_ by his one true love?"

"Yes"

"But Merlin doesn't _love_ anyone. I mean, we _could_ have every girl in Camelot kiss him I suppose, but that would take forever not to mention that I don't think _any_ girl would probably want to kiss him in the first place."

_"Ha ha. Very funny Arthur" _Merlin commented dryly.

"I'm not joking Merlin, this is serious. We have to find your one true love right away or you'll be stuck like this forever"

_"Arthur..."_

"What Merlin? Can't you see I'm trying to work this problem out?! Now, do you know of any girl in Camelot who might", Arthur shuddered, "_like_ you at all?"

_"Well, the truth is..."_

"We already know who Merlin's one true love is" Kilgharrah interrupted, annoyed at how dense the Once and Future King could be.

This statement proved to be too much for Arthur to handle, so much so that he was lost for words and was left with his mouth almost dropping to the ground.

"...um...ah...but..."

_"If you __**really**__ try hard enough Arthur, I'm sure you'll eventually figure out how to form actual words"_ Merlin teased.

"...You've been courting?!"

Merlin tried rolling his eyes, but it wasn't really effective since the wyvern's were completely white. So, he settled for the next best thing. _WHACK_

"Ow Merlin! What was that for?"

_"For being an obnoxious prat. Why is it such a surprise that I found someone to love?"_

"Because... you're... Merlin." Arthur stammered. "I just thought...OW! Merlin!"

The warlock didn't realize how beneficial a tail could be until that night. _"Yes Arthur, I found love, though I wouldn't call it 'courting', per se"_ he then turned to look at the dragon. "_What I wonder is how you knew Kilgharrah. I haven't told anyone about her, well except for Gaius but even he doesn't know all the details."_

"There is much written about you, young warlock, that you are not yet aware of. Many prophesies speak of the relationship you and the Lady of the Lake have -how you broke the curse placed on her and set her free to rule over the Lake, how she would aid in bringing about the time of Albion alongside the Once and Future King. And most importantly, how she would be the light for Emrys in his greatest hour of need. I have always known."

Merlin blushed (which was hard to tell in his wyvern form) and refused to make eye contact with Arthur. The prince, who still couldn't get the words 'Merlin' and 'love' out of his head, stood in a deeper state of shock (if that's even possible).

Kilgharrah took the ominous silence as his cue to leave. The two pawns of prophesy* had all the information they needed so the Great Dragon figured his assistance wasn't required anymore. Turning around, he prepared to fly away when Arthur called out to him.

"So where can we find her?"

"Where she resides of course. The Lake of Avalon"

"Where's that?"

"Merlin knows where it is. He can show you the way."

"Why can't you just take us there?"

Kilgharrah suddenly stopped and turned his head around slowly. Seeing the anger in his eyes, Arthur took a couple of steps back. Lowering his head so he was eye level with the prince, the dragon snorted hot air on Arthur.

"I have said this once and I will say it again. I...am not...a horse. Merlin has a perfectly good set of wings. If you want to get there faster, ride on him, not me" Kilgharrah declared indignantly before leaving the field.

Arthur was trembling for a bit (though he would deny it later) after the dragon left. He didn't mean to offend him. The prince just thought that his idea was a reasonable question and solution. Merlin roared with laughter after the dragon took off, causing Arthur to give his friend a quick glare.

"What's so funny _Mer_lin?"

_"You. How does it feel getting scolded by a dragon?"_

"Shut up Merlin" Arthur said, barely regaining his composure. The prince looked up to the sky and saw that the sun would be rising soon.

"So where _is_ the Lake of Avalon?"

_"Not too far from here actually"_

"And why couldn't the dragon fly us there in the first place? I mean, couldn't you have just commanded him to"

_"I suppose I could, but it wouldn't feel right. I hope you realize Arthur that Kilgharrah's still my kin. I have already commanded him against his will before and I felt horrible for forcing him in such a way. Besides, I would never hear the end of it from him afterwards"_

Arthur laughed. "Dragons hold such petty grudges?"

_"Oh, you have no idea"._

This time, both of them laughed heartily. "Is there any chance _you_ could give me a..."

_"No Arthur. I'm with Kilgharrah on this one. I'm not a horse either"_

"It would be a faster way to get to the Lake of Avalon" Arthur suggested.

_"We both have a perfectly good set of feet. We can walk there. Besides, I'm not sure I know how to fly and you would probably end up weighing me down before I could take off."_

"Merlin I am not fat. How many times do I have to tell you?"

_"And yet no matter how many times you tell me this, I don't see you getting any lighter"_

"Shut up Merlin. Let's just go" Arthur huffed in anger. So Merlin slowly led the way out of the open field in silence. "So, what's her name?"

_"What?"_

"You're lady-friend. What's her name? Have I met her yet?"

Merlin would have bitten his lip if not for the fact that in doing so, his teeth would've probably cut him. He _really_ didn't want to have this conversation now. "_You have met her before. As for her name, it's Freya"._

"Freya. That's a pretty name. What's she like?"

_"She has black hair like me and the most beautiful brown eyes you've ever seen. I could get lost in them forever. She's a kind, gentle woman yet strong-willed, kind of like Gwen but different still. Her life was full of hardships, but she never put that burden on me, despite that I wanted to help."_

"She sounds nice"

_"She was"_

"Was?"

Darn it. Merlin really needed to be careful of what he said. He didn't want Arthur to find out that he had killed Freya. He had already forgiven his friend and he didn't want to deal with an apologetic prince all the way to the Lake and back.

_"I don't want to talk about it now"_

"Are you sure you don't..."

_"No"_. The tone in his voice told Arthur to drop the subject. Surprisingly, he did. Just then, Arthur realized they had forgotten something.

"Merlin"

_"What now Arthur?"_

"I think we forgot something. Where's Lancelot?"

If Merlin was back to his human form, he would've smacked his head._ "Oh. Yeah I completely forgot him"_. At this point, both of them came to a stop fifteen or so yards from the edge of the forest.

"I blame you Merlin" Arthur said nonchalantly, pointing a finger at the wyvern's face. "If it wasn't for your hasty departure to get a kiss from your lady friend, then I would've remembered that Lancelot went to look for the horses".

_"My fault! Arthur, you were the one who sent him off in the first place. If anyone's to blame, it's you."_

"And who scared the horses to begin with?"

So both warlock and prince stayed there bickering. It was an amusing sight had it not been for the lurking figure hidden in the forest.

* * *

**Yeah, Freya's back. Sorry, but she's my favorite female character - I had to include her. (Yes, I know I've said this so many times) XD**

**Like I said before, sorry about the lack of action. We should definitely see some next chapter.**

***I took the phrase 'pawns of prophesy' from Book 1 of the Belgariad by David Eddings, the **_**Pawn of Prophesy**_**. The phrase kind-of fits Merlin and Arthur's link to destiny and plus, I'm a huge fan. I just couldn't resist. :)**

**One other thing. The Great Dragon, Kilgharrah himself, will NOT be saving the day. Sorry all you 'Great Dragon' fans out there, but if Kilgharrah was the answer to every problem our favorite warlock faced, then there would be no Merlin BAMF. So it's unlikely that we will see him again for the remainder of this story.**

**Also, it's my birthday...so please review (and if anyone caught the **_**Pawn of Prophesy **_**reference, let me know). Also, I'm planning to update twice a week instead of once so you'll probably see a new chapter by Friday.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	14. Of Ambushes and Traps

**Hello readers of **_**Were-Wyvern.**_** Nope, this isn't Said The Liar 13 (aka STL13). This is her arch-nemesis, 13 Liar The Said (13LTS). You see, you guys have done me a huge favor. Apparently, all the reviews you sent her caused her to faint and she hasn't woken up since Monday. Muahaha! Now is my chance to take what is rightfully mine and...**_**(various restraining sounds in the background)**_**...**

**Whew. Sorry about that...he's a weird one that 13LTS. Anyway...**

**You guys are FLIPPIN AWESOME! Seriously, I came back from work and my review count shot up to 59 and then went to 60! So thank you: readernurse, Boxerbee, Leonarema (13 reviews for each chapter...Holy Crap!), and TheReinbachDragonlord.**

_**Leonarema**_**, sorry about the misinformation. At the Comic-Con 2011 panel, Colin Morgan said that the dragon tongue was in Old German. I don't know if there's a huge difference between German and Old German, but that probably explains why I couldn't translate some of the dragon tongue on the online translator (sheepishly grins).**

**Okay, I'm done ranting. Here's the chapter you wonderful readers deserve.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Of Ambushes and Traps**

Anatol was getting annoyed. It had been a while since she left the cave in search of...what was his name again? _Merlin... that's right._ The red-haired sorceress didn't understand why the two sisters had such loathing for the man. She wondered what he could have done to tick them off so badly, but that didn't matter at the moment. He had to be found, something that was strangely proving difficult.

Anatol had used a tracking spell on Merlin and teleported herself to the approximate area. Since the connection with the were-wyvern was broken, it forced her to wander the forest thus why it was taking her a long time to find him. Speaking of which, Anatol wondered what had broken her control over the beast in the first place.

"Only extremely powerful magic, magic as old as the earth itself, could possible break the - what the hell is that!" Anatol exclaimed as a dark shape flew over her. She crouched into a near-by bush and after a few seconds, the sorceress' eyes widened in shock as she realized that the dark figure was a dragon.

"What's a dragon doing out here? I thought they were all dead" she whispered to herself. When it was finally out of sight Anatol sighed in relief, letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding in.

Wondering what a _dragon_, of all things, was doing close to Camelot (and more importantly, why it wasn't attacking the kingdom), she headed in the direction where it was flying from. Retracing its steps (or flight pattern), the sorceress reached an open field.

To her utter astonishment, the were-wyvern and a young man stood in the middle of the field, looking like they were best friends having a conversation.

_What's going on? Why isn't the beast ripping that other man to shreds?!_ Her eyes widened as a new thought entered her mind. _Could the dragon have somehow done this?_ It _wasn't_ attacking Camelot and they _were_ known for their wisdom and awareness with all things magical - _could it have somehow interfered?_

The sorceress shook her head. No. This wasn't the time to be worrying about dragons, so she opted for watching and waiting for her opportunity to strike. Anatol still needed to collect the boy, but now she had to deal with the other man. _Who is he anyway_, she wondered to herself. At that moment, the were-wyvern and the man began walking and stopped several yards from the edge of the forest. Moving in closer, Anatol eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I blame you Merlin. If it wasn't for your hasty departure to get a kiss from your lady friend, then I would've remembered that Lancelot went to look for the horses" the other man said.

_"My fault! Arthur, you were the..."_

At the name 'Arthur', the red-haired sorceress smiled evilly. Of course, she should of seen it in the first place - the blond hair, tall stature, _Camelot's insignia_. This was Arthur, as in _the_ Arthur Pendragon, standing right next to her target. This couldn't have been any better is she had planned it herself. To top it off, the sun was getting ready to rise. Everything was set up so nicely. This must be her lucky day.

* * *

"Got you" Lancelot stated in triumph as he caught Arthur's horse. It may have taken him a long time, but he finally found their steeds. Now all he had to do was find Arthur and Merlin.

"Great, I'm lost" the knight complained to no-one in particular. The horses nickered joyously as if making fun of him. Lancelot glared at them for a while until he realized what he was doing. "And now I'm glaring at the _obviously_ conspiring horses. I must be losing it. When we get back to Camelot, I'm going to take a nice long break"

He tied Arthur's horse to his and tried retracing his steps. After a couple minutes of wandering the forest, the knight was startled by the frantic neighing of the horses. He looked around for the threat, but couldn't find it until he saw the Great Dragon flying away.

Seeing his chance to find his friends, Lancelot hopped on his horse and rode in the direction the dragon was flying from.

* * *

Arthur didn't know what happened. One moment, he and Merlin were arguing about him being fat (the prince had no idea how they got onto the subject, but he could take a guess), and the next, a ball of fire was being shot at them from somewhere in the forest. This got both their attentions pretty quickly and, before they knew it, more were being fired their way.

Too many to dodge, Merlin stepped besides Arthur and shielded himself and his friend with his wings. When the onslaught had stopped, Arthur unsheathed his sword and yelled, "Who's there? Show yourself coward!"

A few seconds later, a figure in a black hooded cloak stepped out. "Who are you?" the prince demanded to know. The figure pulled their hood down to reveal long, flowing red hair and green eyes. "You're a woman?!"

Merlin wanted to roll his eyes. _Obviously you dollop-head_, he thought. The witch rolled her green eyes too, apparently thinking the same thing.

"My name is not important. I'm simply here to take back what belongs to me" Anatol said, pointing to the were-wyvern, before whispering _''D__rýcræft sylfum deorcnes aríseeþ!" _in a low tone.

Arthur gasped in shock after her eyes flared gold. "_You're_ the one who cursed him!" he said, pointing to his friend.

"I am"

"But why him? We don't even know you."

"True. But when the Lady Morgana and Morgause ask for your assistance...well, I just couldn't say no could I?" she said with a smug look.

At the mention of the witches' names, Arthur glared at her and would've stayed that way had it not been for Merlin's reaction. To his surprise, the wyvern was baring his teeth and growling at the sorceress. "Merlin..."

"Ah yes, Merlin. How are you enjoying my little gift? Don't worry, it'll be yours permanently soon enough" Anatol teased. At this, the warlock couldn't take it anymore. Ever since the witch attacked, Merlin could feel the dark magic that he thought was subdued, stirring wildly from within. Her presence here was aggravating it and every time she spoke, it seemed to rise and gain more power as if she was attracting it to herself like fire to kindling. He felt himself slowly losing control to the were-wyvern's animalistic instincts. Unable to fight the urge, he suddenly ran at her with all of his might.

"Merlin stop!" Arthur shouted but was too late. The red-haired sorceress raised her hand to the raging beast. "_Brytengrúnd átæsaþ hine!"_ she yelled. Suddenly, bits of earth detached itself from the ground and struck the charging were-wyvern, causing a cloud of smoke to shroud the beast.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled.

Before the smoke could clear, the were-wyvern shot out and continued running at the sorceress.

"Merlin, stop. Don't let it control you!", the prince said, but his plead was heard on deaf ears. To his dismay, Merlin kept going. Anatol raised her hand again. "_Brytengrúnd átæsaþ hine! Brytengrúnd átæsaþ hine!" _she chanted over and over. Despite the amount of times he was struck, the were-wyvern continued charging, only faltering slightly with every blow.

It finally reached Anatol and began slashing at her in similar way it did to Arthur. With ease, the sorceress simply dodged each blow. When she saw that it was getting tired, she raised her hand and uttered the spell again. This time, the earth hit Merlin on the side of his head so hard that it rendered him unconscious. Smirking, she looked at the were-wyvern and said, "_Drisne betræppan hine!_" With a flash of gold, tree roots erupted from the ground and wrapped themselves around his limbs.

Arthur, meanwhile, had been watching but was too stunned to do anything. The _thing_ in front of him was not his friend anymore. There was no logic, no thinking, no love, nothing - only bloodthirsty hatred. It was only after his friend fell to the ground that the prince jumped in, his sword in hand, and attacked the sorceress.

Anatol had just finished trapping Merlin when she barely noticed the prince coming at her. She leapt out of the way, touched her hand to her face, and glared at the prince. Arthur smiled smugly when he noticed the cut on her now blemished face.

"I thought the Knight's Code said not to attack an unarmed person", she hissed.

"True, but evil sorcerers weren't included when they made up the rule. Besides, your weapon is magic. You clearly have the advantage." Arthur retorted, trying to stall her. The prince knew that bringing a sword to a magic fight wouldn't end in his favor. He would have to either get really lucky or she would have to be a pretty terrible sorceress for him to win, both of which were highly unlikely to happen. Right now, he _needed_ his friend - not the were-wyvern, but _Merlin_ - to wake up.

"Fair enough. Let's make this interesting" she said in an overly calm tone and pulled out her two daggers. "Let's see whose better."

"Daggers against a sword - really?"

"What's wrong? Can't handle these toothpicks?" Arthur didn't say anything as he mentally took her Blood Guard daggers and shoved them into her heart. _If evil sorceresses have one._

"You don't trust me. My, what would give you that idea? Fine, I promise I won't use magic"

"Like you'll keep your word"

"Maybe. I guess you'll have to take that chance" and with that she lunged to attack.

* * *

Merlin was still out while Arthur and Anatol were fighting. It turned out she was pretty handy with her daggers. She could strike with one and defend with the other and it was very hard to keep a close eye on the smaller weapons. Several times the prince was forced to jump back in order to dodge a lethal blow.

However, after minutes of fighting, Arthur was proving to be more than the sorceress could handle. With a false move on her part and quick thinking on his, the prince had managed to hit both daggers out of her hand and held her at sword point.

Raising both hands in what looked like submission, she pleaded with the prince. "You can't kill me. Don't I get a trial or something?"

"Not for you, you don't"

"Then with my death, you have no chance of breaking his curse" she threatened.

"Oh, I don't need you to break the curse. We already know how". At this, her eyes widened. Arthur gave a triumphant look at calling her bluff. "Any last words?"

It was at that moment when the prince was about to kill the sorceress that Merlin decided to wake up. Finding himself in restraints (the strangest he'd ever seen), he began pulling against them thus making a lot of noise. This caught Arthur's attention, just enough to cause the prince to foolishly take his eyes off the sorceress.

"Yes, in fact I do." At this, Arthur looked back at Anatol, a tad bit too late. "_Astrice!_" she yelled and the prince was sent flying.

Merlin, who was now fully awake and now in control, began struggling even harder against the roots that bound him. _"Arthur!"_

The prince, in turn, was trying to get up. Seeing his pathetic attempts to rise, she shouted, "_Aetsitteeþ!_" and Arthur was harshly pinned to the ground. He couldn't help Merlin now.

_"No! Release him now!"_ Merlin demanded.

"You are in no position to be giving me orders" she said, making her way to the cursed warlock.

_"When I get out..."_ he threatened but was cut off by the sorceress' maniacal laughter.

"You'll what - kill me? Oh Merlin, you've forgotten something very important." He cocked his head in confusion. "You might have the power of the were-wyvern, but that's on borrowed time." Pointing to the sky, she smiled cruelly at her prisoner. "Tell me Merlin, what time is it now?"

Then it dawned on him. The sun was rising and soon he would change back to his old self -his magic would go back to battling the dark magic within him and he would be rendered defenseless.

"No!" Arthur yelled from the ground, reminding the other two that he was still there.

With a smirk she stole from Morgana, she looked at the sky once more. "Times up"

* * *

The sun's light peeked over the trees, its radiance waking up the slumbering forest. Normally, Merlin would've welcomed it with gladness, enjoying the feel of its gentle touch caressing his face. It was strange to think that he was now dreading this moment.

As soon as the light hit Merlin, the throbbing started up again. Quickly, it turned into a burning sensation that rippled through his body. The warlock scrunched his eyes and waited to welcome the bliss of unconsciousness...but strangely it didn't come. Something was wrong - the last times he had transformed he wasn't awake which meant he wouldn't feel anything. But now...

_Pain_. He thrashed in his bindings and roared to the sky - gods, he just wanted it to go away, he wanted the fire engulfing his being to end. He wanted to embrace the dark oblivion - _anything_ rather than dealing with this.

A bone snapped, and another - they were repositioning themselves back to their normal state. And it _hurt_. It was as if every bone in his body was being ripped out of their sockets and placed in a different spot. What was worse was his skin - it was tearing into him, burning him alive from the outside like a bunch of flaming daggers plunging deep into his very being. Merlin wanted - no _begged -_ it to stop, for anything to put him out of his misery.

Arthur could only helplessly watch his friend's agony. Not only could he _see_ some of the bones reconstructing themselves under the skin (the crunching sound they made was horrible proof of that), but his wings, tail, and body began melting away, as if acid was eating away at him. At one point, Arthur could've sworn he heard a sizzling sound. Merlin then began frantically tearing at the skin his bound claws could reach, no doubt trying to rid himself of the source of his living torture. As bits of the black flesh of the were-wyvern peeled off, slowly revealing human skin underneath, the ironically gentle breeze lifted its shredded fragments into the air where they turned into ash.

What made everything ten times worse for Arthur was hearing Merlin's anguished scream.

When the wyvern started roaring, the prince could hear the pain behind it. As the were-wyvern's skin melted off and Merlin slowly began turning back (more like shedding) to his human self, the roar became under-toned with a human scream. _Merlin's scream_. In all the years they had known each other, Arthur had never heard Merlin scream in so much pain.

Come to think of it, he had never heard him scream at all. Slowly, the more human scream overpowered the roar and Merlin, now fully human, had slumped unconscious in his binding.

Arthur struggled to get up, but his attempts remained futile. There was nothing he could do as the sorceress approached him menacingly.

* * *

**Wow. I kind-of feel bad for that. But don't worry Merlin fans, our young warlock will make it through...most likely.**

**Spell translations:**

_**D**__**rýcræft sylfum deorcnes aríseeþ - **_**Dark magic arise!**

_**Brytengrúnd átæsaþ hine - **_**Earth strike him!**

_**Drisne betræppan hine**_** - Roots entrap him!**

_**Astrice**_** - Strike severely!**

** _A_**_**etsitteeþ**_** - Down!**

**A reminder to all of you that this is my first attempt at character 'whump', so please be honest and tell me what you thought. Also, the next update should be Monday.**

**Until then,**

**-STL13**


	15. A Knight's Loyalty

**Thank you: TeganL74, lozzabluebell, Boxerbee, Revenge of the Red Pen, and TheReinbachDragonlord for reviewing last chapter. It means so much to see your support.**

**Okay, so this chapter is mainly focused on the knights because we haven't seen them in a while. Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 14 - A Knight's Loyalty**

"No...Merlin!" Arthur groaned sluggishly. Still stuck on the ground, the prince could only stare at Merlin's limp body (still bound) and hope that he would wake up. It was only when the sorceress approached him that he focused his attention away from his friend.

When Anatol reached him, she bent down so she was face to face with the prince. "How are you doing down here?" she asked. Arthur didn't respond to the taunting question, instead opting to glare at her. "Do you need help getting up? Or maybe I should help your friend over there, I don't think he'll mind."

"If you touch him..."

"Ah, the prince speaks. Tell me, what _would_ you do? I'm just dying to know." The sorceress waited for an answer but Arthur didn't utter a word. "I figured as much. Oh well. As much as I would love to just sit here and chat, I have to collect my belongings and deliver them to Lady Morgana."

"No! You stay away from him!...Merlin...!"

"Don't bother, he can't hear you. The transformation has sapped him of all his energy. He'll be out of it for a couple hours at least. Anyway, it's not him you should be worrying about at the moment". Anatol threatened. Before Arthur could ask her what she meant, her eyes flashed gold and the same roots that trapped Merlin shot out from the earth and bound him.

"What are you doing?" Arthur yelled struggling to move. _Well, that's a stupid question,_ he thought.

"Oh this - like I've said before, I'm just gathering my belongings. Originally, I came here to collect Merlin but you'll make a nice bonus for Morgana and Morgause. Besides, you were the original target, so you had this coming."

The prince stopped when he realized what she had said. "What?"

"I didn't tell you...silly me. Morgana and Morgause asked me to place the curse on _you_, not your manservant. For some reason though, the previous were-wyvern went after _him_ instead. That still baffles me a bit, but I guess I'll figure it out later when we get to the castle". Raising her hand to Arthur, she said, "_Mamera_". Instantly, he began feeling the effects of the spell and desperately tried to stay awake. In a matter of minutes, he stopped trying. He vaguely heard someone shout his name but it wasn't important.

He welcomed the blissful sleep with open arms.

* * *

Lancelot rode in the direction the dragon came from. It sounded easy at first - heck, it sounded like a good idea to him - but like the saying goes, 'easier said than done'. The knight didn't know the area too well, so throughout the night he rode into quite a few 'dead ends', most of which consisted of the sides of a cliff (whose drop meant instant death) or the foot of a _very_ tall mountain (something he was certain _wasn't_ there before).

"I was better off retracing my steps", he complained to himself.

It wasn't until he heard a blood-curdling roar that the knight stopped. It sounded like Merlin but it didn't at the same time. Knowing something was definitely wrong, Lancelot moved his horses in the direction the sound came from. When he was close enough, he tied the horses and continued on foot (he didn't fancy finding them again).

Eventually the roar died out which didn't comfort the knight at all. When he finally ran into the field, he found Merlin slumped on the ground, tangled in what looked like vines, and the figure of a woman standing over an unconscious Arthur (also bound in a similar manner).

"Arthur!" Lancelot yelled. The only response he got was from the woman, who turned her head to look at him and smiled. The smile sent chills down the knight's back especially with her eyes still tinted gold. With no time to think, he drew his sword and ran at the woman who he correctly assumed to be an evil sorceress.

"_á__styntan_" she called out and immediately Lancelot couldn't move. Not paying any heed to him now, Anatol magically dragged the slumbering prince to the unconscious warlock. With a few words and a flash of gold, she and the two men were engulfed in a whirlwind and disappeared.

At that moment, Lancelot was released and was able to move. It didn't matter to him though - Arthur and Merlin had been captured.

* * *

It was a new morning now that the sun had risen but there was still no sign of Prince Arthur. Everyone in Camelot was getting anxious at the missing prince. Uther was going crazy (more so than normal) and had every knight, guard, and servant searching for him.

When Lancelot rode into the white city, he noticed everyone scrambling around. His presence would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Elyan and Percival.

"Lancelot, where have you been?" Elyan asked.

Lancelot ignored the knight's question, "What the hell's going on?"

"Well if you were here, you would have known that Arthur is missing" Elyan replied, annoyed that his previous question was ignored.

"Yeah, Uther has everyone searching high and low for him. The stable master said that he left yesterday on his own, but no-one has seen him since." Percival explained.

Lancelot shook his head as he refocused on what he had to do. "Sorry guys, I'll explain the details later. Right now, I must speak with the King".

* * *

"WHAT!"

Everyone, especially Lancelot, winced at the king's boisterous tone. The news the knight had given him was not good in every sense of the word. The only bright side was that they could stop looking for the prince in the castle. Lancelot didn't of course voice these thoughts to the king - for some reason, he figured such optimism wasn't what he wanted to hear at the moment.

"You let my son get captured by a sorceress! Incompetence! What were you doing all this time?" Lancelot knew better than to answer the question. When it came down to Uther's temper, the knight knew that trying to defend himself would only be digging himself a deeper whole. So Lancelot just bowed his head and took his verbal punishment, hoping that a physical one would not follow.

The king half glared-half squinted at the knight and said, "A knight of Camelot would _die_ before allowing his future king to be kidnapped. One wonders as to why _you_ alone escaped." Uther paused dramatically. "Maybe you were working with..."

Lancelot panicked. _Oh crap, he can't be serious! There's no way he's accusing me of siding with the enemy. I would never help an evil sorcerer, even if I was brought back from the dead!*_ He hoped that Uther wouldn't ask him how he ended up with Arthur alone in the first place. That would be hard to explain and would make him more suspicious. From the corner of his eye, he could see some of the other Knights of the Round Table (mainly Gwaine) getting antsy. If Uther continued, the situation would get worse.

"Sire, clearly the sorceress wanted a survivor to send a message. Lancelot was the obvious choice." Gaius said. This seemed to calm the king who turned his back to the knight to gather his thoughts. Lancelot visibly let go of the breath he was holding and gave the court physician a thankful nod before Uther turned around.

"Very well, but we must act quickly. Leon!"

"Yes Sire" the knight replied stepping out of the crowd.

"I want every knight looking for Prince Arthur."

"But Sire, surely not everyone. What if Camelot's attacked and..."

"You _dare_ challenge my authority?!"

"No Sire, I meant no disrespect"

"Then do as I command. Assemble all the knights - you leave at midday."

"Yes my lord" Leon said with a bow and the whole congregation filtered out of the throne room, leaving the king alone with his dark thoughts.

* * *

Leon, second in command to Arthur, quickly took charge of the knights. He knew it would be a good idea to leave a couple of them in the city so he divided the knights into search parties and stationed some of them near Camelot to 'check' the area close by. It technically wasn't disobeying orders, it was more of 'interpreting' the king's command in a different way.

The rest of the groups were sent off in different directions. Together with Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot, and Elyan, they rode to the field the prince was taken to see if they could pick up a trail.

The entire ride was dead silent - everyone in the group was contemplating the sudden turn of events. Even Gwaine was silent, which would've been a nice contrast to his annoyingly, joke-ish self had it not been for the situation.

Lancelot hadn't told anyone, except for Gaius, what happened to Merlin. It would've worried them even more seeing as they all saw the young man as their little brother. The knight promised Gaius that he would find his foster son and Lancelot had every intention of keeping it.

Leon had watched Arthur grow, not just as a prince, but as a man. Ever since Merlin came, he saw how the once stubborn, prideful boy had matured into the honest, true-hearted man - the _prince_ he was made to be and Leon was proud to say that he was a Knight of Camelot for this fact alone. The knight would gladly die a thousand times and a thousand times over fighting by Arthur's side. He was loved by all in the kingdom, not because he was a prince, but because he was _their_ prince - a prince they could rely on for protection. A prince who was fair in all his decisions. A _king_ who would give his life for every one of them - and it was for this reason that Leon would make sure they would find him.

Percival, though he was the outsider, liked Arthur a lot. From the first moment he met him, the strong man could see that the prince really cared for his people. Growing up as the eldest son, he was always put in charge of his younger siblings and the other children who were left in his care. Caring for others was a trait instilled into him since he was a child and the knight appreciated Arthur for his ability to do so for his _people's_ well being and _not_ for any prideful ambition. For this reason, Percival knew that he would give his all for the future king - nothing would or could stand in his way to find his friend.

Elyan was focused on finding Arthur. Not just because he was the prince or for the promise he made to his sister, but for all that he had done. This was the prince who risked his life to rescue him from Cendred and Morgause when they captured him. This was the prince who went against the code and knighted commoners. This was the man who didn't care about status but about what truly made a man - nobility of heart. Elyan would protect _his_ king with his life, no matter what.

Gwaine surprisingly was not thinking about Arthur. The tavern-loving knight, for all his teasing, knew that the prince could hold his own even in the hands of a deadly sorcerer (or 'ess' in this case). No, Gwaine's concern was for Merlin. He would not deny that his friend could take care of himself pretty well (for someone so bad with a sword) - it was the fact that he was missing that worried him and it made it worse that no-one seemed to care. The young man had become his first _true_ friend and after all of this 'save-the-princess-from-the-evil-sorceress' thing was over, Gwaine was going to find Merlin and drag him to the tavern, whether he liked it or not.

After all, what were friends for.

* * *

**Spell translation:**

_**Mamera **_**- Sleep**

_**á**__**styntan**_** - Stop**

**I hope you liked the knight's thoughts of the situation. Like always, drop a review. I promise Arthur and Merlin will return next chapter. See you Friday.**

***Sorry, I couldn't resist the season 4 reference to Lancelot's betrayal in the series (poor Lancelot!).**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	16. Captured Part 1

**Thank you TheReinbachDragonlord and Boxerbee for reviewing last chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it.**

**This chapter features a despairing Merlin and a slightly considerate Arthur, with a bit of cruel Morgana and Anatol to boot. Oh, and Merlin's pants are strangely, but slightly-humorously, mentioned (no the story's rating is not going to change to 'T' because of it). ;)**

**I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 15 - Captured Part 1**

"Ahh, I really shouldn't go out with Gwaine so much" he groaned putting his hand over his eyes to block out the sun. It wasn't helping the splitting headache he woke up with or the fact he felt like emptying the contents of his stomach all over the cold floor. He was about to call his lazy manservant over and demand to know why he hadn't woke him up when the prince took a good look at his surroundings. "Where the hell am I?"

It was a stupid question really - from the barred windows to the old wooden prison door, the answer was easy. He was in a dungeon cell. Arthur didn't bother getting up and trying to forcefully fight his way out. That was pointless seeing as he had no sword and his wrists were loosely chained to the wall (and there was the fact that he still felt sick again). Sighing, the prince leaned against the wall and tried figuring out _where_ he was exactly.

By the brightness of the sun peeking in, he figured that is was probably a little after midday. The cell itself felt oddly familiar - like he'd been here before. There was a hay on the ground, two windows, some chains hanging from the ceiling, an unconscious Merlin, the walls looked worn and - _wait a minute... Merlin?_

The prince did a double take to make sure that the person across the room was actually his friend - and it was (there was no mistaking the raven-black hair for anyone else). Looking carefully at him, Arthur saw that the warlock was in chains as well, except he had a pair of manacles around his wrists _and_ ankles (not to mention that he was missing his shirt).

"Merlin" he half whispered - half shouted. No answer. He tried a couple more times and called his friend, but the warlock wouldn't get up. Being the considerate prince that he was, Arthur did what any friend would do. Finding some pebbles near by, he chucked them at the warlock's head, eventually waking him up.

"Agh, my head. That's the last time I'm stuck babysitting Gwaine" he moaned, clearly delirious. After taking a moment to check his surroundings, the warlock's eyes finally rested worriedly on the prince.

"Arthur!"

"Finally decided to wake up I see"

"Where are we? What's going on?"

"Well, seeing that we are both chained in a prison cell, my guess is that the sorceress brought us here" the prince said sarcastically.

"I figured that much out, you prat. I was kind of wondering about the specifics - like what prison are we in and what will happen to us" the warlock replied. "You know, something useful"

"Well if I knew, then we wouldn't be in this situation _Mer_lin"

"As if _you_ could do anything about it".

The prince paused and looked at the door to make sure no-one was around to hear them. "Is there anything _you_ could do to get us out of here?''

The warlock paused and turned his head away from Arthur in, what appeared to be, shame. "I've tried already but _it_ isn't working for me - it hasn't been since after the were-wyvern bit me." The prince gave a puzzled look, clearly wanting his friend to explain. "You see, dark magic and I don't mix very well. My gift comes from the old religion, the original and pure form, while dark magic is its twisted counterpart. When the creature attacked, it's dark magic poisoned my own, thus why I can't use _it_ at the moment. Sorry Arthur, but there's nothing I can do"

Both men stayed in silence for a while, the gravity of the situation becoming clearer with each passing second. How were they ever going to escape? The prince contemplated what to do and asked the most important question he could think of.

"Hey, something's been bothering me" Arthur started.

"What?"

"Where did your shirt go?"

At this, the warlock couldn't help but laugh; that was the last thing he expected to hear. "_This_ is your important question?"

The prince couldn't stop the grin that was forming on his face. After learning that Merlin couldn't use his magic, Arthur could see his distress despite how well he tried to hide it. If he was really born with magic, the prince figured that suddenly _not_ having it would probably feel like losing a piece of himself. Although the situation they were in wasn't good, the least he could do for the warlock was make him laugh.

"It's a valid question - where did your shirt go?"

"My guess is that it tore when I transformed into the beast. Yesterday, I woke up the same way" he said before bursting into laughter again.

"Then why do you still have your trousers?"

"You know Arthur, I really don't know" Merlin replied wiping a tear from his eye. "Quite frankly, I'm not questioning it seeing that if it _did_ rip, then I would most likely be sitting naked right about now, something I'm grateful I'm not."

Silently, the prince thanked whatever deity that he half-believed in for small favors.

"So, besides inquiring the state of my clothing, do _you_ have a plan to get us out?"

"Well, I..."

"Won't be getting out anytime soon, not with your lives that is" a voice interrupted. At this, both men looked to see the door opening.

"Hello brother, it's been a while."

* * *

Merlin and Arthur both glared at the once caring Lady of Camelot as she entered the cell.

"Oh don't be like that. I thought you would be happy seeing your dear sister again" Morgana teased. To his credit, Arthur didn't respond. Turning around, she made her way to the other prisoner.

"How have you been Merlin?" she asked standing in front of him.

"Leave us Morgana. I know you just came here to gloat so if you're not going to say anything useful, you might as well just..." _SLAP._ An angry handprint throbbed on the warlock's face who only continued to glare at the witch. Arthur moved in frustration in his bindings.

"Insolent fool! You _dare_ speak to me that way! You are nothing more than a servant, a dead one by the time I become queen!"

"You'll never rule Camelot Morgana!" Arthur shouted.

"I beg to differ. There is nothing you or your meddlesome servant can do to stop me. When I'm queen, magic will thrive and all of my kind will be free. Uther has slaughtered so many already and he will pay for what he has done. And you Arthur Pendragon, are just like him"

Before Arthur could respond, a cold, mocking laughter filled the cell. The prince stared in shock at his friend's outburst, not for the fact that he was laughing in the face of a powerful sorceress but because it was so un-Merlin like and so bitter. "Oh Morgana, you are such a hypocrite. You claim to want freedom for your kind, but all you really seek is the power to rule over them. And you're going about it just the way Uther would. Congratulations Morgana, you _are_ your father's daughter!"

Arthur's jaw visibly dropped. He'd never seen Merlin so angry before. In fact, the prince knew that his friend preferred resolving issues peacefully instead of through brute force. Seeing him lash out at his half-sister, no matter how much she deserved it, unnerved him greatly. He'd never seen this side to Merlin and he hoped he would never see it again.

Seething, the sorceress' eyes flashed gold and the warlock was yanked in the air until he reached the limit his chains would allow. Stretching out her hand, she began closing it and Merlin found that he couldn't breathe.

"Morgana stop!" Arthur yelled but she paid him no heed.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now!"

"Because we need him alive" a voice called out. Recognizing the voice, Arthur turned to the door to see the red-haired sorceress who attacked them before. "My Lady, you have to release him" Grudgingly, Morgana let her hand fall and Merlin slumped to the ground, immediately massaging his sore throat while trying to catch his breath.

"You!" Arthur shouted, pulling on his chains. Anatol squinted her eyes indignantly. "Yes, me. You know, I have a name"

"As do I, but you don't see me complaining about it" the prince replied repeating the same exact words the dragon said to him. "Besides, you told us your name wasn't important - why should I care?"

Anatol's eyes were glistening gold, ready to follow Morgana's example. Before she could attack the prince, her lady interrupted. "What is it Anatol?"

_So her name is Anatol. I'll remember that name,_ Arthur mused.

"Morgause asked me to come get you. We have much to discuss if we are to attack Camelot tomorrow"

"Tomorrow?!" Merlin and Arthur asked in unison. At this, Morgana smirked evilly. "Yes, Camelot will be ours tomorrow and there's nothing you can do to stop us."

"I don't think so Morgana. You'll never win!" Arthur firmly stated.

"And how are you going to stop me? Tonight you'll be dead anyway" she answered nonchalantly.

"So you're going to kill me while I'm undefended - you're going to kill me the cowards' way?"

"Oh no, my Lady is not going to kill you" Anatol replied.

"Then who is?" Merlin asked.

Morgana turned to face the warlock, her eyes hinted with maliciousness. "You are"

* * *

Merlin should have really seen this coming. Destiny sure had a weird sense of humor. The protector killing the one he's supposed to protect - it was too cliché. He had already been cursed - was it too much to ask for a little reprieve once in a while. Apparently it was. The warlock wouldn't put it past him if someone up there was just sitting back and watching the show for their own twisted sense of enjoyment.

To his surprise, Merlin still found himself questioning the credulity of the statement. "WHAT?!"

"You heard me Merlin", Morgana said, "you'll be the one to kill the prince you so blindly follow."

"There's no way you'll..."

"Merlin", Anatol interjected, "you forgot that when the sun sets, your mind will be lost to the beast. I don't know how you regained control last night, but as the final day of the curse approaches, what little control you have will simply slip away".

Merlin was left speechless and bowed his head, searching the ground for an answer that would not appear. "No, there must be..." he whispered.

"Oh the irony! You have given your loyalty to Arthur, you have helped save Camelot several times, you have promised to protect the prince with your life and _you_ will ultimately be his doom." Morgana proclaimed. The warlock refused to make eye contact with the witch. Eyes flashing gold, she forced his face to meet hers.

"I can't wait to see you lose control when darkness falls. I can't wait to hear the agonizing screams of my brother as you rip him apart, piece by piece. And I will _cherish_ the moment you wake up to realize that the blood of the prince will be on _your_ hands. Oh, I can't wait to see you fall Merlin, just as you sat back and watched after you poisoned me" she finished. Releasing the spell, Merlin's head dropped back to its previous position.

Arthur, who was sickened by the fact that Morgana stooped so low as to put his friend in this situation, glared at his half sister in utter contempt. When he glanced at the warlock, all he saw was a defeated look on his face. Arthur had only seen this on knights who had given up all hope - those who had seen too many winters and had lost the true meaning of what they were fighting for. _A broken man_. The prince never wanted to see that look on his friend's face ever again.

"What, no response? No surly retort Merlin? I'm sorry, I can't hear you" Morgana teased putting a hand to her ear. The warlock just continued to stare at the ground. "Nothing? Well too bad, the sun will be setting soon; this is your last chance to say goodbye...I suggest you take it."

Walking away, the door opened and both women headed out. "Since I won't be seeing you again dear brother, I just have this to say. Farewell. I'll be sure to send our father your regards" Morgana called out before leaving an angry prince and a despairing warlock behind.

* * *

**See what happens to everyone's favorite warlock and prince next time. Next part should be up Monday.**

**Yes, as pointed out in a review, Merlin should've technically lost his pants. I thought about this carefully when writing the first transformation chapter and decided, there and then, that I would **_**'Incredible Hulk'**_** his transformation back to human form so that he would keep his pants. I just didn't want to take the time to deal with the clothing issue since our heroes had more pressing matters to worry about.**

**I know it's not realistic and no-one seems angry about the choice (and is currently thinking about gathering an angry mob to burn me at the pyre or anything like that). I just figured I'd share my thoughts on the matter.**

_**(Awkward pause)**_** So...**

**Until later I guess,**

**-STL13**


	17. Captured Part 2

**Thanks to: TheReinbachDragonlord, Glacier22 (two hugs for you), readernurse, Boxerbee, and Revenge of the Red Pen for the reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and I hope you'll enjoy this next one.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 16 - Captured Part 2**

The prison cell grew colder as the day slowly passed. For a few agonizing hours, the prince and warlock sat on the cold floor lost in their own thoughts.

Many things ran through Arthur's head. He still couldn't believe that he was supposedly going to die by his best friend's hands. However, that didn't concern him at the moment. All he cared about right now was the warlock in question. Morgana said that Merlin had poisoned her. Was that true? It would explain the subtle tension between the two of them after they had found her last year.

There were so many other questions that he wanted to ask his friend but the thoughtful side of the prince (which was rarely shown) told him that this wasn't the time for prodding. Right now, he needed the warlock to focus on escaping rather than wallowing in self-pity.

"Merlin" Arthur called out to his silent friend. No answer. He tried again. "_Mer_lin". Still no response. Groaning in annoyance, he grabbed a pebble and chucked it at his head with a little more force than last time. Stirring out of his own thoughts, the warlock half-glared at the prince.

"Ow! What the heck was that for Arthur?!"

"For moping around like the idiot you are!" the prince said, trying to goad his friend into their usual banter. Right now, he needed Merlin back to his usual, smart-mouth self but all the warlock did was slide back into his annoying downcast position. Lowering his head, he ignored Arthur. Seeing this, the prince became enraged. One, for being ignored and two, for his friend's stubborn attitude. This time, Arthur took a slightly bigger pebble and whipped it at Merlin's face.

_WHACK!_

"Arthur! Stop..."

"Merlin!", the prince interrupted, " you better snap out of it right now or so help me I'll keep throwing pebbles at your face until it becomes a mosaic masterpiece!" This got the warlock's attention. "Right now we need to figure out how to get out of here so stop sulking and do something useful!"

"You don't get it!", Merlin snapped. "Everything that's led up to today, it's all my fault. _I_ poisoned Morgana instead of helping her when she needed me most. _I_ turned her evil by refusing to guide her when she found out she had magic. _I_ let her live in fear instead of providing the hope she desperately needed. I've made so many mistakes and now you're going to die, Camelot will be destroyed and there's nothing we can do about it. It's hopeless!"

After a pregnant pause, another pebble hit Merlin square in the face. "Arthur", he said tiredly, "I told you to st..."

"Shut up Merlin!" the prince cut him off. Surprisingly, the warlock quieted down and let him continue. "I understand what you're going through - don't think for one minute that I don't. You've made choices you regret, you're upset, you see the consequences of those actions laid before you - I get it. But right now is not the time to beat yourself over things you can't change."

"Those months ago when we hid in the caves, you told me, not as a servant but as a friend, to stop wallowing in my self-pity because I had a duty to my father, to Camelot and to my people. You have always told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear, and it is _this_ that has always renewed what inner strength I had lost."

"So now it's my turn as your friend."

"You've made mistakes - we _all_ do. The thing that defines us is not what we do but how we deal with the consequences of those actions - and right now, you have to face it Merlin...but not alone. Never once in the time we've known each other have you said that a situation was hopeless. One thing you have taught me was that _nothing_ is ever hopeless". A short pause. "There is always hope Merlin and we _will_ get out this mess together." Smirking, the prince continued. "So I'm telling you one last time _idiot_ to stop sulking so we can figure a way out of this mess".

Merlin's mouth was hanging by the time Arthur had finished speaking. An awkward silence settled in again. "Merlin, don't make me throw another pebble at your..."

_WHACK!_

"Ow...Merlin!"

"_That's_ for being a dollop-head, dollop-head" Merlin grinned, satisfied at the accuracy of the pebble he had thrown. The warlock then nodded to Arthur, the unspoken message passing between them: _Thank you_.

"So, have you finished your girlish moping yet _Mer_lin?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about Sire."

* * *

Anatol and Morgana marched in step as they headed to the throne room. Over the course of their 'acquaintanceship', the two sorceresses were slowly _not_ seeing eye to eye.

Anatol, who before would've bowed eagerly at her future queen, wanted nothing more than to separate herself from Morgana. All the red-haired sorceress saw was a tempered, spoiled child who only had a title and a little bit of magic to her name. If it weren't for the past friendship she had with Morgause, Anatol would've left a while ago.

Likewise, Morgana had ill-will towards her sister's friend. She held all the power, which secretly worried her, and yet she had messed up twice already. _I don't get what Morgause sees in her_, she thought. To top it off, Anatol challenged her constantly and was forgetting her place in the presence of her future queen - the red-haired sorceress, in this aspect, reminded Morgana so much of Merlin which infuriated her even more.

Thinking of the troublesome manservant, Morgana snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her companion. "Anatol"

"Yes Morgana". _What does she want now?!_

"Do you know _why_ you lost control over the were-wyvern?"

"I don't know" Anatol said. She was thinking about telling her about the dragon she saw earlier but decided not to. It would just lead to more questions and a probably angrier Morgana for not telling her right away, something the sorceress _didn't_ want to deal with at the moment. "The only thing I can think of is that Merlin has a high resistance to magic. It's a rare trait but it would make sense, especially if he's foiled so many of your plans to take over Camelot like you've said."

Morgana thought about this and finally nodded her head in agreement. "Is it something we need to worry about?"

"I doubt it. With every passing day, the hold of the curse becomes stronger. Tonight will be his third transformation so the curse should definitely over-power him"

"So you _don't_ need to strengthen the hold on him then?"

"No, it's not necessary" _For now_, she mentally added.

"Good" she replied just as they reached the doors to the throne room. After walking in and greeting Morgause, Morgana glared at the sorceress when she wasn't looking. _It had better work or there will be heck to pay._

* * *

"Okay, maybe if you blast the wall down and..."

"Arthur, we've already been through this. My magic isn't working right now so I _can't_ blast the wall down"

"Fine then", Arthur replied indignantly. There was a brief moment of silence. "Maybe if you blast the window out then..."

"Oh for goodness sake you prat, how is that different from blasting the wall down... _or_ the ceiling down, _or_ the door down, _or_ the last hundred or so suggestions you came up with?"

"Stop exaggerating _Mer_lin - besides, it wasn't _that_ much" Arthur defended, slightly questioning the credibility of his own statement. At this, the warlock rolled his eyes and gave the prince an incredulous look. "Anyway, your ideas weren't that practical either"

"What?! They were practical", the warlock retorted.

"How is picking the lock practical?..."

"Well, you see..."

"...Without anything to pick it with" Arthur interrupted.

"...Um...I would've thought of something reasonable"

"You did actually. What was it you said?...Oh yes, 'use your nails Arthur'. Sure Merlin, because _that's_ practical."

"For you it is. Have you seen your nails Arthur? You really should cut them once in a while."

The prince quickly scanned his chained hands. "My fingernails are perfectly trimmed I have you know"

"I meant your toenails, their disgusting!"

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled before playfully throwing another pebble at the warlock's arm. "I am your prince and..."

"And as such you should know how to trim them correctly and in a timely manner"

"I swear, when we get out of here I'm going to put you in the stocks for an entire week"

"I'll just get out" Merlin retorted causing Arthur to remember that his friend had hidden his magic from him for nearly four years.

"Hey Merlin", the prince called out in a serious tone.

"Yes Arthur"

"When we get back to Camelot, I think we need to have a long talk"

"Yeah" Merlin lazily said while looking away from his friend. The atmosphere in the cell had completely changed. The day was drawing to an end and both warlock and prince knew what sundown would bring.

"Arthur. The sun's setting"

The prince looked at the window. "I know Merlin, I know"

"Aren't you a bit worried?"

Arthur chuckled slightly. "I would being lying if I said I wasn't...and yet, I'm not." Merlin cocked his head to the side in confusion. Sighing, the prince continued. "I don't know how but for some reason, I _know_ everything will be alright. That doesn't mean I'm not nervous though"

"Arthur I..." the warlock said but was cut off by the familiar throbbing. Beads of sweat ran down his face in a matter of seconds and he began to twitch in his chains.

"Merlin, are you okay?"

"Arthur", he hissed in pain, "it's... starting". Arthur nodded his head and stood up, subconsciously preparing himself for whatever could happen.

"Merlin, I'm right here." Although those words greatly comforted the warlock, it didn't stop the pain radiating through his body. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for what was coming next.

Within seconds, the sun's light left the cell.

Immediately, his back arched, the dark magic sprouting from the bitten shoulder and coursing through his very being. He felt the fire, he heard the crack, he felt the snapping of every bone in his body, he felt himself change into the beast of darkness. He was the were-wyvern.

* * *

Arthur watched the transformation take place. After Merlin's back arched, he sank to his knees and clasped his head in his hands. Sweat glistened on his brow and a dark aura-like substance seemed to incase him, originating from his bite wound on his right shoulder. A pair of black wings painfully sprouted from his back and once they were at their full size, they wrapped themselves around him, completely hiding him from sight.

_CRUNCH!_

_SNAP!_

Arthur mentally winced at the familiar sound of shifting bones. After a couple of seconds, the wings retracted and fell back into place. A black tail, horns, fangs, and scales - Merlin was the were-wyvern again. When the beast roared when its transformation was complete, the prince couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like if their positions were switched. _If Merlin didn't get bitten_, he somberly mused, remembering that he was the original target of the cursed wyvern's rage.

However, the prince snapped out of his thoughts when the were-wyvern suddenly lunged at him. It didn't get far with the chains still restricting its movements. Seeing this, it tugged at each chain until the whole link ripped off the wall and then proceeded to break the remaining slack off.

When it was finally free, the beast slowly headed in Arthur's direction.

The prince didn't bother trying to run. Hell, he was chained to the wall - there wasn't much room to move in the first place. He calmed himself, stood up straight, and waited for the were-wyvern. It wasn't until it stopped, a mere two feet in front of him, baring its pointed teeth, that the prince's heart pumped faster in his chest.

Both of their eyes met and they stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. "Merlin, are you still there?", Arthur asked hesitantly. The beast blinked and moved closer. Waiting for the blow that would end him then and there, the prince closed his eyes.

He felt the breath of the were-wyvern on his face as it snorted on him. He heard its mouth, saliva oozing and dripping between it teeth, as it opened it wide. He bravely awaited his end. And then the strangest thing happened...

It started...laughing at him?

_"Haha, you should see your face Arthur. That was priceless!"_

Arthur's eyes shot open and he looked at the sniggering beast whose telepathic voice he would recognize anywhere.

"Merlin! That wasn't funny!"

_"From my point of view, it definitely was"_

"I...I thought you..."

_"Nope! It's still me."_

"How did you..."

_"I remembered Kilgharrah's words. I'm a Dragonlord and I __**am**__ Emrys. It's within my right to control the beast. When it's will grows stronger so does mine"_ he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Then what was all that" Arthur flailed his arms in what translated as 'losing control', "back there?"

_"Oh that! I was trying to reach you_ _but forgot about those nasty chains I had to get off. They were bruising my wrists!", _Merlin complained and showed Arthur a black, scaled wrist to prove his point. Of course, whatever bruise the were-wyvern claimed to have couldn't be seen due to his dark complexion. The prince's eyes twitched in annoyance. _Of all the...I thought he was...when we get home I'm going to kill him!_

"I don't care about your wrists Merlin", Arthur yelled still annoyed, "don't be such a girl or er - female... were-wyvern...thing." At this, the cursed warlock internally cocked his brow in amusement at his friend's loss of words. Ignoring the unspoken (or un-telepathic) insult the wyvern had just given him, he showed him his chained wrists. "Now be a good little were-wyvern and break these off already", Arthur teased.

Grudgingly, Merlin carefully slashed the chains from the prince who then gave his friend a half-glare when a very small trickle of blood fell from his wrists.

_"Sorry"_

Snorting in annoyance, the prince made his way to the door. Surprisingly, no-one was stationed to guard it. _Must've figured there would be no point in guarding a room with a soon-to-be dead prisoner, _he thought to himself.

Stepping aside, Arthur addressed his friend. "Merlin, how about you put my brilliantly thought-of plan from before to action and blast down this door?"

Merlin internally rolled his eyes. _Prat._ Standing on his hind legs, he came down on the tightly secured wooden door with all of his might. Their way out was right in front of them.

Nothing would stand in the warlock's way to get both him and his friend safely home.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I know there wasn't a lot of action, but I promise that we'll definitely see some in the next two chapters to come. I hope I got Arthur and Merlin's characters down. I figured that in a situation like this, they would still find a way to banter as a way of putting on a manly bravado of sorts.**

**Please review and tell me you what you think. Next chapter should be up Friday.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	18. No Break Whatsoever

**Thank you: chocolatecake1, Revenge of the Red Pen, Boxerbee, and The Reinbach Dragonlord for your reviews. They always inspire me to keep writing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 17 - No Break Whatsoever**

The warning bells pierced the silence of the quiet night sky, its vibrant ringing echoing through the halls of the castle. At the sound, Morgause, Morgana and Anatol looked at each other in confusion until one of their soldiers ran into the room.

"What is going on?" Morgause demanded.

"My Ladies, Arthur Pendragon and the boy have escaped. The door to the cell was smashed to bits by what seemed to be a set of claws. When we looked inside, both prisoners were gone"

Realizing what must have happened, Morgana glared at Anatol. "What happened?! I thought you said he wouldn't be in control."

"He shouldn't be in control. I didn't think..."

"That's right, you didn't!" the sorceress yelled, cutting off the red-haired witch.

Sensing the tension building, Morgause interjected. "I don't care how it happened, but I want them found now! Do _not_ let them escape."

"Yes my Lady" the man bowed and made his way to leave.

"Wait" the blond sorceress commanded while holding up her hand. "Have the other sorcerers summon the Dægar. If you are to capture the beast as well as the prince, then you'll need their added strength and speed."

"Yes my Lady, it will be done" he said before taking off.

Silence crept back into the room, only the warning bell and the frantic sound of scuffling feet could be heard. Morgana shot daggers at the other sorceress, daring her to met her piercing gaze.

"Anatol, what happened?" Morgause asked, her tone less laced in anger than her sister. "Didn't you reinforce the curse with one of the spells?"

"Forgive me. I didn't think it was necessary. The curse was suppose to take care of that by itself."

"Then I suggest you reinforce it when we catch them. Go Anatol and prepare the spell."

"Of course" she responded and left the room, still refusing to make eye contact with Morgana. The door shut, leaving the two sisters finally alone.

"Morgana, something is troubling you"

"It's nothing sister"

"Come now, I know you better than that. You can tell me"

The sorceress sighed. "I am..._concerned_ about Anatol. What if she fails again?"

"She will not. I've told you before sister that she is the most skilled sorceress I know when it comes to curses. Fret not. Once we have recaptured our prisoners, the were-wyvern will be under our control. With its power combined with our army, no-one in the five kingdoms will stand a chance of defeating us."

Morgana smiled sweetly. "Okay. I'm probably just a bit anxious". Morgause nodded her head and both sorceresses moved to the door.

"Good", the blond witch began, "now, I think we have a couple of guests we need to find".

* * *

The scene would've been funny if the situation was different. Here he was, the Prince of Camelot, sneaking around the castle followed by his best friend... who happened to be a cursed wyvern the size of a stallion. The prince was surprised that no-one had seen them yet. _I mean, how hard is it to spot a wyvern?!_ Yes he was pitch black but still, Arthur figured something so big would be easily discovered. _Well, I should be thankful for their ignorance. _Apparently the guards here were just as thick as the guards in Camelot. _Speaking of which, I __**really**__ need to do something about our security when we get home_.

Nonetheless, everything was fine until the warning bells went off. Arthur mentally kicked himself for not concealing their escape a tad bit better (how was he suppose to know that a shattered prison door _might_ give the enemy reason to believe that they had escaped?)

"Merlin, we need to hurry up" the prince hissed to his friend.

_"Don't you think I know that you prat?"_, Merlin's annoyed voice reverberated in his head.

"Then hurry up!"

_"You try sneaking around as the size of a horse with a tail and a set of wings and see if __**you**__ can maneuver the halls undetected."_

"Always with the excuses Merlin." Arthur said as they reached another corner. Now more than ever, they had to be careful. Everyone, soldier and sorcerer alike, was looking for them. Peeking around the edge, three men were walking down the hall away from them. Seeing his chance, the prince signaled to Merlin and they both crossed.

Unfortunately for him, Merlin's clumsiness seemed to carry over even in his wyvern form. A slight misstep and the were-wyvern came tumbling down in the middle of the hall. Merlin quickly looked at the retreating forms of the three men, begging whatever cruel deity he was sure was enjoying this not to be seen. To his surprise, none of them took notice of his noisy faux pas. The wyvern let out a sigh of relief. _That was close, _he thought to himself. _If I don't make any noise then..._

"You idiot, get up!" Arthur hissed, loud enough to catch the attention of the three men.

"There they are!"

"They're over here!"

"Quick, get them!"

The were-wyvern took a moment to indignantly glare at the prince who sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. _"So much for staying quiet. Who's the idiot now?"_

"Shut up Merlin!" Arthur said right before a fire ball was thrown his way. The group, which was luckily composed of only one sorcerer and two regular soldiers, charged at the were-wyvern and the prince. Merlin quickly dispatched of the sorcerer while Arthur took care of the others.

"They're down here!"

"Summon the Dægar!"

"Quickly, we can't let them escape!"

_"I think we should go now"_ Merlin suggested, not caring what a 'Dægar' was. After grabbing one of the dead man's swords, both Arthur and Merlin took off down the corridor. It was a couple of minutes before they were sure they had lost their pursuers.

The area of the castle they were now in was particularly dark, so much so that Arthur could barely make out his own hands. Strangely enough, Merlin found that he could actually see despite the strange darkness that evening brought. Holding on to the wyvern by the wing (after a heated dispute reminding the prat that he _wasn't_ a horse), the Merlin led the way through the castle with Arthur walking beside him.

"Do you know where we're going?"

_"Not really. I was hoping you knew which direction to go more or less"_

"How can I know when I can barely see a bloody thing in front of me?"

_"I thought you said that princes were born with an innate sense of direction?"_

"We are, but it's hindered when in the presence of idiots like yourself" Arthur joked around. It was only when Merlin didn't respond that the prince realized that both of them had stopped moving and his friend was looking behind him.

"Why are we stopping?" No answer so he tried again. "Merlin, why are we stopping?"

_"Be quiet. I thought I heard something"_

"Merlin, no-one followed us and besides..."

_"Seriously Arthur, shut up!"_ At this, the prince finally listened to his friend. A couple seconds of complete silence and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Without saying a word, the cursed warlock turned around and continued walking.

Something wasn't right. Merlin didn't know what, but for the past couple of minutes, it had felt as if someone - or _something_ - was watching them. More than just watching them, but stalking them, waiting for the right moment to strike. Merlin didn't know if it was just his magic reacting to the dark magic coursing through his body, but the presence he felt was nothing short of pure evil. As they continued on their way, all of the warlock's senses were on high alert.

Arthur didn't know what to think. He _was_ feeling uneasy but the prince figured it was just his reaction to not being able to see fully that was putting him on edge. He'd never been put in a situation like this before and the last thing he wanted to do was panic in the darkness.

After trudging around for some time, they entered a hallway which gave them renewed hope of escaping the castle. The corridor was about 30 yards long and began slanting upwards halfway like a flat stair case. The moon's rays brightly shown from the entrance so much so that the whole corridor was lit by its radiant light.

"That's our way out Merlin, I'm sure of it!" the prince shouted in glee. But Merlin barely registered that Arthur was speaking to him. Once again, he was staring at the darkness behind him, searching for something he could only sense, not see.

"Merlin, what's the matter now?" Arthur asked indignantly when he noticed his friend looking back. "Merlin, like I said before, there's nothing there"

_"...Sorry...Must've been my-"_

But the warlock was cut off when something heavy slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. When Merlin tried to get up, the unknown creature jumped on his back, causing him to thrash around to try to get it off. When the creature saw that clawing the wyvern's scaled body was proving futile, it bit down hard on his hind leg. The were-wyvern roared in pain before using its tail to swipe the beast off of him. Coming back for seconds, the creature charged at Merlin but shrieked in pain when a sword flew out of no-where and embedded itself in its chest, thus stopping it dead in its track.

Arthur ran over to his friend. "Merlin, are you okay?"

_"Yeah...I think so"_, he said while lifting his bleeding leg from the ground. Hissing in pain, he slowly made his way to take a look at the dying beast.

The dog-like creature before them was pure black with two sets of red eyes, one on top of the other. Its rock-like scales stuck out from its prickly fur, covering its spine like armor from the top of its head to the tips of both tails. To make matters worse, it had an extra pair of disfigured arms that hung loosely from its torso. Even at death's door, the creature attempted to get up and strike, only being stopped by its loss of strength and the sword pinning it to the ground. The dying beast, with its last breath, gave a chilling roar before succumbing to its destined fate.

"What was that?!" Arthur asked while reclaiming his sword.

_"I don't kn..."_

But before he could finish, a burst of howls filled the empty hallway.

"Quick, it's somewhere this way. After them! Don't let them escape!"

Both prince and wyvern panicked. This 'Dægar' was just a scout and now their location was given away. To make matters worse, the search party sounded like they were close by. All in all, they had to get out of there and fast. _"ARHTUR RUN!"_

Not needed to be told twice, the prince began running to the exit. After a several steps, he stopped when he noticed someone was missing. Behind him, Merlin was struggling to keep up.

"Merlin we've got to get out of here" Arthur said while backtracking to his friend.

_"Then __**you **__go on without me"_

"Don't be an idiot Merlin, I'm not leaving you behind" he said, trying to stay calm even while the corridor was growing louder with the sound of unnatural howling. The prince tried to help Merlin stand up but in doing so he added pressure to his wounded leg. Roaring in pain, the wyvern lost his footing and fell down.

_"Ah, my leg!"_

"Come on Merlin, you've got to get up" Arthur persisted, not caring about the indignant look his friend was giving him.

A sudden shiver ran down his spine and the prince's eyes shot to the darkness behind them. Many sets of red eyes filled the black void and, what started as a low growl, crescendoed until it rang through the whole hall. The Dægar had found them.

Unsheathing his sword, the prince stood by his friend who by now took notice of the awaiting danger. They prepared themselves for the upcoming onslaught. Arthur looked at Merlin and Merlin looked at Arthur, both thinking the same thing:

Was it really too much to ask for a break?!

_*****************Break*****************_

**I struggled with this chapter a bit so please let me know if it was well worth it.**

**Okay, I have exciting news for those of you who: a) own a Nintendo DS, b) love Merlin, and/or c) are total nerds/geeks. A Merlin game is coming out for the DS based on episode six of season 4, **_**'A Servant of Two Masters'**_**. It seems like it's more like a puzzle type game but when it comes out in the States, I'm going to buy it just for the sake of having a Merlin game.**

**I know, I'm pathetic (puts head down in shame), but that's just who I am. XD**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	19. Escaping Unhindered and Unharmed

**Thank you: Revenge of the Red Pen, Boxerbee, and TheReinbachDragonlord for your awesome reviews. I'm glad y'all are enjoying the story.**

**So, onward with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 18 - Escaping Unhindered and Unharmed**

Arthur and Merlin braced themselves for the impending attack. The growls of each Dægar resonated in the once empty hall and the moon's light illuminated the corridor enough to see the snarling faces of each beast, including that of the were-wyvern.

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes, to hours. The faint sound of running footsteps was barely heard over the beasts until it skidded to a stop in the darkness.

"Arthur Pendragon stand down. This is your only chance or I will send the Dægar after you", a voice called out.

Merlin and Arthur shared a knowing look and the prince put down his sword. That surprised the sorcerer a bit, who was expecting defiance and hostility from Arthur and his no-named friend'. The young man pushed through the crowd of the still snarling Dægar and raised his hand to incant a restraining spell on the prisoners.

"Merlin now!" Arthur yelled and before the sorcerer could comprehend the command (or who the heck was 'Merlin'), a tail struck him in the chest, sending him flying into the horde of dog-like creatures. _"Arthur run!" _Using the confusion to their advantage, the prince and wyvern ran towards the exit, Merlin managing to hobble on three legs instead of four.

"Get them!" the sorcerer yelled angrily. At this, the Dægar took off after the prisoners.

Arthur didn't realize how fast the beasts were until one of them attempted to nip at his heel when they were only half way to the exit. Turning around, Arthur drew his sword and slashed its arm. The Dægar fell back only to be replaced by three more. All three lunged at him but were thrown back when another collided with them from the right. The prince looked in that direction to see Merlin wrestling another Dægar off his back.

_"Arthur, you need to go on without me! There're too many of them."_

"I'm not leaving you Merlin" the prince yelled as he thrust his sword into the back of the dog-like creature.

"No-one's going anywhere!" the sorcerer interrupted. "_Clústor ætíewan!_" he shouted, his hand raised at the prince. Merlin's white eyes raised in recognition of the man's words. With no time to think, the wyvern swung his tail and knocked Arthur to the ground a couple of yards behind him.

Annoyed and a bit angry, the prince groaned in pain, got up and immediately sought out his friend. "What the hell was that for Merlin?!" he yelled and marched over to said warlock, only to be stopped by an invisible force.

"What the heck?"

Sensing the prince's confusion, Merlin looked over his shoulder at Arthur, refusing to make eye contact with his friend. _"Arthur, get out of here now!"_ he said in a solemn voice.

"NO!" the sorcerer screamed.

A Dægar suddenly lunged itself at the baffled prince only to be stopped by the same invisible force. Understanding came within moments. The sorcerer had put up a shield of some sort so nothing could get in or out. That's why Merlin had pushed him back, so that he wouldn't be trapped insi...

_Oh no! _Eyes widening, the prince verified his suspicions by slamming his sword against the barrier as hard as he could, only to have it bounce off. "No. Let me through!" he demanded before futilely attempting to break through the shield again.

"You'll pay for that!" the sorcerer, ignoring the prince, hissed at Merlin. "Get him!"

Immediately every Dægar rushed at the worn out wyvern. With renewed strength, Merlin stood up to defend himself from the onslaught of snarling beasts.

_"Arthur go!"_

As if out of a nightmare, the prince stood in horror as the Dægar viciously attacked the were-wyvern. The worst part was that he was helpless to aid his friend. Part of him wanted to run, saying that he couldn't do anything to help and that _that_ was the logical choice, but the other part of him wanted - no _needed_ - to stay with Merlin somehow. "But you'll..."

_"I'll be fine"_ Merlin said while throwing another Dægar off of him. _"It'll be no good if both of us are captured again. You have to go to Camelot and warn them of Morgana's plan!"_ he yelled before painfully ripping one beast off his bleeding shoulder. Arthur looked at him, still debating what to do.

_"__**Trust**__ me. I'll be right behind you"_ the cursed warlock said. If the prince didn't know his friend better, he would've believed him.

"You better" Arthur commanded and hesitantly ran to the exit.

"No you don't!" the sorcerer yelled and raised his hands. Before he could remove the shield, Merlin forced his way through the ocean of Dægar and slammed into him, rendering the sorcerer unconscious. His selfless effort, unfortunately, left him vulnerable and before the were-wyvern knew it, the Dægar were upon him once again.

Despite his brave attempts, Merlin wasn't able to defend himself from their combined strength. By the time he struck one down, several more would take its place. With each bite, each cut, and each blow, he knew he was losing the battle. Within a matter of minutes, the wyvern fell, wounded and barely holding on to consciousness.

Everything turned into a blur of pictures played in slow motion when the Dægar finally stopped their attack. He heard the faint sound of footsteps as more sorcerers entered the scene. He felt them surrounding him like vultures to a carcass. He saw their raised hands pointing towards him. He heard the chanting of an elaborate spell. He was powerless to stop them.

A sudden bolt of pain hit the cursed warlock.

All Merlin could do was scream.

* * *

Arthur hated himself.

He had just left his best friend - his _brother_ - behind to fend for himself while he was running to safety. _What kind of friend am I?_ Yes, there was no way to actually physically aid Merlin but...but..._I should've found a way. Merlin would've._

When the prince reached the exit, he was welcomed by the breeze of the night air. He took a nice deep breath - _freedom_. There was just one problem though. The exit turned out to be a balcony off of one of the high towers. Looking over the edge, Arthur saw a bottomless drop with large jagged rocks protruding from the ground. If he wanted to get out, he would have to carefully climb down and hope not to fall. _Still not a good idea._ The other option, of course, was going back.

Thinking about backtracking only reminded the prince of Merlin. _I shouldn't have left him, _the prince scolded himself again. After moments of indecision, Arthur made up his mind and turned around determined to go back to his friend. _I'll think of something_, he convinced himself. Just as he was about to exit the balcony, a strong whirlwind blew in front of him forcing him to step back.

"Where are your manners Arthur? Don't you know it's rude to leave without saying goodbye to your dear sister?"

"Morgana" Arthur spat and raised his sword. Eyes flashing gold, the weapon was ripped from his grasp and fell to the darkness at the bottom of the castle, cashing loudly as it smashed against the deadly rocks. The sorceress stayed blocking the entrance, her dark dress blowing behind her and making her almost fuse into the blackness of the castle. "Get out of my way Morgana"

"Why should I? What the rush?" she asked innocently before the sound of a painful roar echoed through the hall. _Merlin!_, Arthur mentally shouted. The prince's eyes darted from Morgana to the corridor and back to his half-sister in anxiety.

"Well, looks like your pesky servant has been captured. Don't worry, you'll join him soon enough".

* * *

Merlin was barely holding onto consciousness. The pain that was shot at him was almost unbearable. Almost. The warlock knew he had been through worse, a good example being his recent transformations. Yes, it had hurt but, looking at the bright side, at least his threshold for pain had grown. _And Arthur calls me a pessimist,_ he thought smugly despite the pain he was in.

Not letting this stop him, the were-wyvern, to the dismay of the five sorcerers casting the spell, began to pick himself up. Seeing this, the sorcerers poured more of their magic into the enchantment to keep him contained until Anatol had arrived, causing him to fall back down.

Merlin didn't bother moving for quite some time. Just when he was about to give up, he heard _something_ - almost like a faint ringing in his head. He didn't know what it was exactly. It wasn't a bell nor was it the ringing he heard when another magic-user was communicating telepathically. It didn't hurt but it tickled his magic and made him alert of... _something else_, despite the pain he was feeling at the moment. He looked around at his surroundings. There was nothing there that could possibly be the source of the ringing. He looked towards the light radiating from the exit and felt it again, stronger but not overwhelming. _A strange feeling._

The cursed warlock didn't know if it was destiny that caused it or if it was friendship - maybe a bit of both. He didn't know. Whatever it was, Merlin somehow knew that Arthur was in trouble.

With renewed vigor and purpose - forged by the unbreakable fire-tried bond they had formed over the years - the were-wyvern powered through the immense pain, not just from the spell but from the wounds the Dægar had inflicted on him, and stood up. The sorcerers, eyes widening in fear, pushed harder with their magic and the Dægar stood their ground. He knew they would attack once he got up - but that didn't matter.

Merlin was _not_ going to abandon destiny. He wasn't going to abandon his friend.

* * *

A group of men suddenly flooded the balcony. Arthur tried to distinguish sorcerer from soldier, but right now, that was the least of his concerns. He was surrounded and the odds of him escaping were now greatly _against_ his favor.

"My Lady" one man addressed Morgana. "We have captured the beast as you have instructed. What do you want us to do with the prince?"

Morgana looked up thoughtfully before flashing her signature grin to her half-brother. "As much as I would like to deal with you now, I do like the ripping-to-shreds bit I had promised. Send for the Dægar, they can deal with him"

The same man bowed to his queen and his eyes flashed gold. Arthur may have been ignorant on all magic-related topics, but he figured that the man had somehow contacted the Dægar. His suspicions were confirmed when the crowd backed away from the prince and the sound of heavy-footed running came from the lighted hall. All eyes turned to the prince, their faces plastered with an evil grin. Arthur braced himself for the pain that was soon to come.

"Any last words?" Morgana taunted.

And then, several things happened before Arthur could even think of an answer.

"Stop him!" a panicked voice yelled from the hall. Morgana's men were scrambling in the tight space of the hall leading to the balcony, clearly trying to push themselves out of the way of whatever was freaking them out. Those who were on the balcony, including Morgana, turned around to see what the commotion was. A black figure jumped over the crowd and ploughed into Arthur, causing them both to fall over the edge.

Morgana ran to the railing and peered into the black abyss. Not seeing anything, she turned to her men. "What was that? What the hell happened?!" she demanded to know. She _really _wanted to see Arthur torn to shreds.

The men just stared at her in shock. "What are you all just staring at? I demand to know what just happened!" she yelled. Her soldiers didn't move except one who, bravely but still with a shaking hand, pointed to something behind Morgana. The witch suddenly stopped. Slowly turning around, she made out the sound of flapping wings. There, right in front of her, not dead and very much alive, was the were-wyvern carrying the prince.

* * *

Arthur was sure he was dead, especially when the black figure slammed into him causing him to fall over the balcony. He had closed his eyes, hoping that if he did, there would somehow be less pain when he hit the sharp rocks. After a couple moments of realizing that he wasn't falling but was slowly moving up, the prince bravely opened his eyes to see two claws holding him by the armpits. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but he was still alive.

_"I got you" _a pained voice sounded.

Arthur's looked up at the familiar voice. "Merlin!"

_"You're a lot heavier than you normally look Sire"_ Merlin complained.

The prince would've gave into the banter had it not been for hearing his friend call him 'Sire'. Merlin never called him sire unless he was in the presence of nobility or if something was seriously wrong. There was no nobility around so that only left the question: what _was _wrong?

"Don't just stand there, attack!" Arthur immediately snapped out of his train of thought at the sound of Morgana's angry voice. The prince turned his head around to see the men on the balcony fumbling around.

"Merlin, get us out of here!" Arthur called up.

Merlin wanted to slap his friend on the head for the inconsiderate tone of the command but decided to concentrate more on flying. The were-wyvern had no clue how to properly fly and with the added weight from supporting Arthur (yes, he wasn't _completely_ joking when he called him fat), he was barely managing to keep them both in the air - not to mention that with every movement he made, his injuries from before felt like they were on fire.

The cursed Dragonlord closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He pictured Kilgharrah flying - how his wings moved, how his body contorted to give him an extra burst of strength, everything. With renewed determination, the were-wyvern flapped his wings harder and more deliberately and after a couple seconds, he was finally able to steady himself.

His accomplishment, however, was short lived when an arrow whistled by followed by several more (with a couple of fire balls thrown in for good measure). The soldiers on the balcony were relentless in their attack, none of them wanting to be the recipient of Morgana's wrath if they failed.

"Merlin..." Arthur called out worriedly.

_"I'm working on it! Just hang on"_

Merlin was attempting to maneuver through the various attacks heading his way while trying to escape. His efforts were proving successful until an arrow nicked his left arm, causing him to instinctively let go of his grip of the prince. Arthur yelped in surprise but quickly latched on to the were-wyvern's right claw.

_"Ahh!"_

"Merlin, don't you dare drop me!"

_"Wouldn't think about it Sire"_ Merlin replied in a strained voice. Pushing through the pain, he grabbed Arthur securely and continued on his way.

Morgana, who was growing more and more impatient, finally had enough. _If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!_ "That's it!" she said before grabbing an arrow from one of the archers. _"Arwe, __bryne__ond__ dynt!"_ With a flash of gold, the arrow lit with a green fire. Rising from her hand, it sailed through the air at its target.

Arthur yelled in frustration as he swung himself out of the way of another arrow. They were so close to absolute freedom that the prince could taste it. They only needed to go a little further before being out of range from any arrow or fire ball or whatever else that Morgana's men were throwing at them. Midway into his thoughts, Arthur yelped again (in a manly way of course) when both he and Merlin dropped a couple feet in the air. Heart still pounding, the prince was about to yell at his friend but stopped when he saw the exhausted look on his face.

"Merlin, you okay?"

The warlock didn't answer. Instead, he grunted in pain and strengthened his efforts. Within a few moments, both he and the prince were finally out of range and sailing through the air to their freedom.

If only things were that easy.

* * *

**Spell translation:**

_**Clústor ætíewan!**_** - Barrier appear! **_**Arwe, **__**bryne**__**ond**__**dynt!**_** - Arrow, burn and strike!**

**Aw, I'm being mean to poor Merlin again. Rest assured, this story will have a happy ending...most likely. Anyway, I'm almost done writing this story so that it will be finished before the Series 5 premiere on September 29th.**

**As always, drop a review please. A virtual, metaphorical (insert favorite dessert) for you if you do. :)**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	20. Found and Lost

**Thanks to: TeganL74, TheReinbachDragonlord, Boxerbee, Revenge of the Red Pen, and A maze thing for reviewing last chapter. All of you are totally awesome! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 19 - Found and Lost**

Arthur had never flown before but he was loving it. The wind in his face and the feeling of soaring in the night sky was exhilarating. Added to the fact that they had escaped unharmed and were on their way to Camelot, the prince was overjoyed.

"Merlin, we made it!" he cried out to his friend.

_"Yeah..."_ he replied in a strained voice.

"That's all you have to say? Come on Merlin, show some excitement. We've escaped Morgana and now, we can finally break your curse and go home. How are you not as excited as I am?" Arthur rambled, not noticing his friend's fatigue. It wasn't until the prince noticed the ground slowly getting closer that he stopped talking and closely looked up at his friend.

"Merlin are you okay?" he asked but got no response. "Merlin?..."

But before he could say anything else, the prince felt himself suddenly drop several yards in the air. "Merlin, what's going on?!"

_"I'm sorry, I can't go any further"_ he said in a pained voice before collapsing in midair. Grunting in pain, the were-wyvern pulled the prince into a full body hug before crashing hard into the ground on its back. After the first bounce, Arthur was flung away and rolled onto the grass several yards from Merlin.

After a few minutes of gathering his bearings and stopping his eyes from seeing three of everything, Arthur slowly got up and made his way to Merlin, more annoyed at the harsh landing and slightly forgetting about the pure exhaustion written on the cursed warlock's face.

"Really Merlin, a crash landing! You could've given me a few seconds warning before pulling a stunt like that!" the prince shouted but stopped when he noticed that the were-wyvern hadn't even moved from its spot. "Merlin?..." No answer. A sudden wave of uneasiness hit Arthur and the prince ran to his friend. It was only when he got close enough that he saw it.

_Oh no. _There, amongst all the various cuts and bite marks, deeply lodged in the upper part of the were-wyvern's stomach, was an arrow burning with a green, unquenchable fire. Blood was seeping through the wound and covered the ground, its deep red color painting the grass below.

Merlin had been shot and Arthur feared he was too late.

* * *

Morgana was fuming when Merlin and Arthur were out of sight. The prince was supposed to be dead by now and the were-wyvern under her control but, once again, her plans were foiled. For all of this, she blamed one person.

Anatol. If that fool of a sorceress hadn't messed up earlier, there would be no problem. Seething, Morgana turned around to take her anger out on the imbeciles who let the prisoners escape. It shouldn't have surprised her to find that everyone had fled from her long-expectant wrath. _Cowards!_

Storming from the balcony, she swiftly made her way to the throne room to talk with her sister.

"Sister, we have a problem" she said while opening the door.

"What happened?" the blond witch asked.

"Arthur and Merlin have escaped"

"Morgana, we must find them before they reach Camelot."

"I know. I will..."

"I'll go get them" Anatol's voice interrupted. At this, Morgana rolled her eyes. "No Anatol, I can handle it"

"Clearly you can" she replied innocently, only loud enough for Morgana to hear. Ignoring the glare the green-eyed witch was throwing her, Anatol looked at Morgause and continued. "I've prepared the spell needed to control the were-wyvern. Everything is set. If you send me after Merlin, then Morgana can stay and help prepare the army."

The blond witch paused to consider the options. "And the prince?" she asked.

"There's no need to worry about him. I'll kill him. Even if he escapes and warns the king about the attack, Camelot will still be outnumbered as long as we have the were-wyvern on our side."

Morgause contemplated her choice in silence while Morgana and Anatol attempted to visually kill each other. "Very well then"

Morgana turned to her sister in shock. "What!? No, Morgause let me go after..."

"No Morgana. Anatol is right. You are needed here to help me prepare for tomorrow night's attack."

Morgana nodded to her sister and calmed down. "Of course"

"Then I shall be off" the red-haired sorceress said with a bow and turned to the door.

"Oh and Anatol" Morgause called out in an overly-calm voice that made the sorceress in question wince in fear.

"Yes"

"Do not fail me again. I expect you to come back with the boy" '_or not at all if you value your life',_ she telepathically finished. Eyes widened in fear, Anatol simply nodded and, with eyes flashing gold, left the room in a whirlwind.

Looking at her sister, Morgause said (to Morgana's surprise), "You're right sister. Her incompetence _is_ wearing my patience thin"

* * *

"Merlin you idiot, why didn't you say anything?" Arthur berated, trying to stir his friend into consciousness. The prince was worried when his friend didn't answer. The only consolation he had was the slow rise and fall of Merlin's chest, indicating that he was still breathing - raggedy, but he was still alive.

Arthur looked at the arrow protruding from his friends' stomach. The green fire flickered for a moment before suddenly flaring in an effort to stay kindled. Eventually, the last wisps of the flames lost their power and, to the prince's horror, were actually _absorbed_ into the arrow wound, causing the blood flow to increase alarmingly. Arthur clenched his teeth and mentally cursed his half-sister. He hated what he was about to do. Tearing a piece of his shirt, the prince placed it around the arrow and held it down on the were-wyvern's burned skin. This seemed to be enough to wake him up, for when Arthur applied pressure, Merlin jolted awake and tried to get up and failed.

_"Ah!...what the hell?!"_

"Glad to see you're still alive"

_"Arthur, what happened?"_

"You were shot _Mer_lin and because you were an idiot, as usual, you kept going and we crashed in the middle of the forest" Arthur said, trying to keep Merlin calm (though one could argue that it was more of an attempt to calm himself).

_"Oh, is that all?"_

"What have I told you about being funny?" Arthur said before biting his lip. "Merlin, I have to remove the arrow. It's only going to get worse if I don't"

The were-wyvern raised its head to inspect the wound himself. Sure enough, he could see the burnt wound beginning to swell, black blood seeping through and blending with his skin. Snorting, Merlin nodded to Arthur and put his head back down. This was _not _going to be a pleasant experience.

Steadying his hand, Arthur firmly grasped the arrow and let out a deep breath. "This might hurt a bit."

_"You think!"_

Smiling at the sarcastic retort, the prince focused on the arrow again. One, two_...three!_ As quickly as he could, Arthur carefully pulled, praying that the whole arrow would come out. Merlin, for his part, tried with all his might to keep still, knowing that moving would only make it worse. However, things were easier said than done.

As Arthur pulled the arrow out, Merlin's wings twitched wildly and he began pounding his tail against the ground, at some points almost hitting the prince in the process. He stifled his anguished cries (only emitting a low growl at times) but couldn't help but roar in pain when the arrow head snagged on a bit of his skin before finally giving way with a _pop_.

_"AHHHH!" _Merlin's mental scream fused with the were-wyvern's roar.

"There, I got it!" Arthur announced as he raised the arrow in triumph. As soon as it came out, the weapon turned into dust. The prince, however, didn't have time to ponder this phenomenon as he turned his attention back on Merlin who was now trembling from the pain... and blood loss? _Oh yeah, the wound's still bleeding!_ Thinking quickly, the prince tore another strip of his shirt and began staunching the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding. In a matter of minutes, the cloth was thoroughly soaked with Merlin's blood.

"What do I do?" Arthur whispered to himself. Seeing his best friend in such a state, so close to death - this was not the way he wanted to end his friend's curse. The prince tried not to think about that right now, he had to focus on healing Merlin in any way he could.

_"You're doing fine Arthur"._ At this, the prince's closed eyes (when had he closed them?) shot open at the pained voice. Merlin shifted his white eyes to look at his friend, refusing to lift his head from the ground. _"Just keep as much pressure on the wound as you can muster."_

Arthur solemnly nodded before placing both hands on the wound. "Got it"

_"Shouldn't be hard with all the weight you've put on. I should know - I had to carry your fat ass all the way here"_

The prince let out a strained laugh at the insult. "You must be feeling better if you're able to insult me in your condition."

_"And when do I insult...Argh!"_

"Sorry" Arthur apologized when he pressed down harder on the wound.

_"No, you're doing fine. This __**isn't**__ supposed to be a painless process"_

"Right"

There was a moment of uneasy silence. The cricket's melody filled the area, the elderly owl hooted from its hollow home, and the wolf cried to the sky to its lost companions. All of nature, connected by the magic that was the foundation of the earth itself, silently sensed the distress of its magical kin.

_"Arthur, are you okay?"_

"Am I okay?! You're the one bleeding to death and you're asking me if _I'm_ okay?" Arthur paused for a moment to give Merlin a disapproving look. "Yes Merlin, I'm okay. The question is, are _you _okay?"

_"Never...better"_ he replied in a strained (and slightly slurred) voice.

"Right. I'll believe it when I see it". There was another moment of silence before Arthur spoke up. "Merlin"

_"...mm?..."_

"Isn't there anything more I can do?"

_"...well if you gt 'om erbs 'hen..."_

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled before pressing harder on his wound.

_"What!"_ he snarled at the prince.

"Don't fall asleep"

_"Stupid Prat" _Merlin mumbled.

"Fine, I'm a prat but that still doesn't change the fact that you have to stay awake. Now, what were you saying?"

Merlin snorted in annoyance at the truth of his friend's words. _"If you get some herbs then it might help to stop the blood flow"_

"Right. What do I need?"

_"...Yarrow. Its small and white with a long stem that grows in various shrubs."_

Arthur took a second to think about his options - 1) stay with Merlin and hope that the bleeding stops on its own or 2) go, find the yarrow and get it back in time and hope that Merlin doesn't fall asleep. _Not my best options. _"Okay, I'm going to go look for it. You better stay awake Merlin or so help me if you die, I'll kill you myself"

_"Sure..."_

"Merlin" Arthur said warningly.

_"Alright, alright. I won't fall asleep"_

After shooting his friend a couple of incredulous looks, the prince turned to the forest and ran to get the one thing he hoped would save his friend.

* * *

After ten minutes or so of searching, the prince groaned in frustration. Not only could he not find any yarrow but the sun was going to rise any minute and he needed to get back to Merlin before then. To make matters worse, he was slightly lost.

As he was contemplating where he should go, the thundering of horse hooves came out of no-where and by the sound of them, there were several riders. Immediately, Arthur hid behind the thick trunk of a tree. _Morgana's men must be searching for..._

_SNAP_

When the riders were a couple yards from where Arthur was hiding, the prince accidentally stepped on a thick, dead twig, causing the group to suddenly stop. _Good job Arthur. Why not just shout to them that you're hiding! _A lump formed in the prince's throat. He couldn't be captured now or Merlin would die but he also couldn't let them get to his friend either. He didn't have a sword and was most likely outnumbered so attacking them was out of the question.

One member of the group jumped off his horse and by the sound of the familiar ringing, unsheathed his sword. The others followed his example and slowly began walking in his direction. Grabbing a thick branch from the ground, Arthur held it close and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing. _Yelling, he jumped from behind the safety of the tree and charged Morgana's men like a crazy man.

"Sire?"

Arthur immediately stopped his not-so-dangerous attack. That voice, he knew that voice. It could only be...

"Leon!"

"Arthur!" all the knights shouted in unison as they put back their swords and moved forward to greet their prince.

"Am I glad to see you guys" he said, relieved to meet up with his knights. Soon, the prince was bombarded with questions.

"What happened?"

"Sire, are you hurt?"

"Were you _actually_ going to attack us with a stick?" (definitely Gwaine)

"Where's Merlin?" Lancelot asked, searching for the warlock. Arthur and the knights froze at the question.

"I was try to head back to him when you guys arrived" Arthur replied. "We have to get to him immediately. He's been..."

"Whoa, wait a minute. What do you mean 'where's Merlin'?" Elyan asked.

"Yeah, no-one has seen him in a few days" Percival said scrunching his brow in confusion.

"And we were going to look for him after we found you princess" Gwaine added.

"Lancelot, you knew Merlin was with Arthur?" Leon asked.

"I did"

"Then why didn't you say anything?!"

"The situation's complicated Gwaine"

"Is it? What's so complicated about saying 'Hey guys, I found Merlin'? I was bloody worried about him!"

"Would you two knock it off!" Arthur yelled before either could continue. "Merlin needs our help and we're wasting time bickering like children".

"What's wrong?" Percival asked. Before the prince could answer, a bloodcurdling roar resounded through the forest. The prince's eyes shot to the sky to see the sun shining, its light illuminating the darkness. Without saying a word, Arthur ran in the direction of the scream, not stopping at the knights questioning protests.

In all honesty, he didn't care if they followed him. Arthur had to get to Merlin, one way or another.

* * *

Merlin wasn't lying when he said he wouldn't fall asleep. He lived with a physician for goodness sakes. Despite his jesting, the cursed warlock knew that if he were to succumb to slumber, then there was a good chance of him not waking up. Still, sleep did sound like a good thing right about...

_"No, I have to stay awake. Arthur will kill me if I don't"_ he said to no-one in particular, ignoring the voice in his head reminding him that Arthur, at that point, probably wouldn't need to anyway. So the were-wyvern did whatever he could to stay awake. He shifted positions (painfully) and bit his lip and nudged the make-shift bandage on his stomach - whatever he could think of to stay awake.

Ten minutes or so had passed and Arthur still hadn't returned. Not that Merlin was complaining, but the yarrow would've been nice right about now not to mention the fact that Arthur was gone for quite some time.

_"How hard is it to find a plant? It's not like it's a rare herb" _he complained out loud. Seeing a small rock nearby, Merlin began rocking it back and forth with his snout, admiring its humble beauty, before flinging it into the bushes. Two birds flew out and headed to the trees. The were-wyvern watched as they soared through sky, free and in clear unity with one another. _Like me and..._

His peaceful musings were cut short by the throbbing of his shoulder. Slowly, he craned his neck to see the sunlight peeking from the tree line. Not bothering to struggle, Merlin just stayed on the ground, wishing Arthur was with him.

In a matter of seconds, the sun shone brightly over the cursed warlock. Merlin couldn't help the scream/roar that tore from his throat. He felt the burning sensation on his scaled-skin again, like diving into one of the deadly acids in Gaius' chambers, and he tried to scratch away the pain. Tearing at more skin than last time (the fragments immediately turning into dust like before), he shed back to his normal, human self and promptly fell to the ground in pure exhaustion. How he managed to stay awake this time - he didn't know.

Agonizing seconds had passed for him to refocus his mind. The warlock tried to lift himself up but cried out in pain and clutched his hand to his side. The arrow wound, which was slightly bigger than before, was bleeding again. With each painful breath he took, a burning pain would sprout from the wound making the warlock slowly lose his grip on consciousness.

After another futile attempt, he fell harshly, face first, to the ground. The world around him became obscured in a blur of colors. He felt like he could die any minute, alone and without the people he cared for around him. Closing his eyes, Merlin then thought of _her. _The one who waited for him at the Lake of Avalon. The one he would do anything for. The one he loved. _Freya_. Her beauty, her smile, her kiss - oh gods, how he yearned for another.

A tear fell from his eye, fusing with the blood that littered the grass.

He didn't want to die alone - not like this.

He heard a bit of movement from the bushes in front of him. Opening his eyes, in the midst of his delirium, he gazed upon the beautiful figure of his beloved. His eyes watered and reaching out, his hand outstretched, he cried out her name. "Freya, help me!"

The figure moved until she stood right in front of him, her red hair cascading down her back and her green eyes maliciously gleaming in the sunlight. His vision cleared until the image of Freya faded. He looked at who was actually standing in front of him and his eyes widened in dread. Holding out her hand, Anatol smiled cruelly at him. "I don't know who Freya is but sure, I'll help you"

A muttered spell and the darkness of oblivion consumed him.

* * *

A couple miles away at the Lake of Avalon, the Lady of the Lake rose from the water at the anguished cry of her name. Freya wished she could run to her beloved and comfort him but she was bound to the lake for all eternity. Clasping her hands over her heart, she looked up to the bright sun-lit sky.

"Stay strong my love"

* * *

**I'm very mean, I know.**

**Yes, I just realized after proof-reading this that I pretty much had Merlin get shot with a 'Morgul' weapon (LOTR fans will hopefully get the reference) since the arrow turned into dust after it was taken out and caused him more pain. Which inadvertently makes Morgana a 'ring wraith' (that explains a lot then). Oh well, just thought I'd try to connect this somehow to LOTR. :)**

**Anyway, please review. It would mean the whole world to me. The next chapter should be up Monday.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	21. True Feelings

**Thanks to: TheReinbachDragonlord, TeganL74, Revenge of the Red Pen, A maze thing, and Boxerbee for reviewing last chapter. They bring joy to my writing.**

**Okay, so this chapter is all about Arthur and the return to Camelot. Merlin's only role here is to be unconscious so we can pity him. :(**

**I hope you guys enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

* * *

**Chapter 20 -True Feelings**

Arthur ran with all the strength he could muster. The loud, painful roar had finally stopped. Not only did this fail to comfort him but it also meant that, though he was close, he still had no idea where Merlin was exactly. Coming to a complete stop, the prince looked in all directions to see if anything looked familiar to him or could give him a sign as to where his friend was. Arthur was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he failed to notice the presence of his knights alongside him until Leon spoke up.

"Arthur, what's going on? What's wrong with Merlin?"

The prince stopped his frantic searching to observe his knights. Elyan and Gwaine were bent over trying to catch their breaths while Percival, Lancelot, and Leon were looking to him for answers. All of them knew Merlin was in some kind of trouble (Lancelot knew more) and he could see in all of their faces that they wanted to find the man they considered their little brother just as much as he did. It wasn't right of him to hold information about his wellbeing from them but right now wasn't the time for a drawn-out explanation.

Sighing, Arthur nodded his head. "Right. To make a long story short - Merlin was cursed, we were captured by an evil sorceress working for Morgana and Morgause, we escaped, and Merlin has been shot with an arrow - no, I don't have time to explain everything that happened Gwaine" he said while putting up a hand to stop said knight from interrupting, "and yes, he's still alive but he needs help. We have to find him."

Before any of the knights could comment, they heard a faint but clear voice cry out several yards from them. "Freya, help me!"

"That's Merlin!" Elyan exclaimed. Without another word, they all headed in that direction. Arthur smiled as he recognized the area he had come through minutes earlier in search for some yarrow. _Oh yeah, I was supposed to find some. Merlin won't let me live this down_, he thought to himself. That didn't matter though. Soon they would find Merlin, go home for a little bit of rest and then head over to the Lake of Avalon so Merlin could get a kiss from his sweetheart and break the curse put on him. At the thought of his best friend's lady friend Arthur smiled inwardly - _who knew the idiot would ever find love._

It wasn't too long before Arthur was stopped abruptly from his thoughts when he collided into something big and bony.

"Percival, why did you just stop?" he asked indignantly.

The knight's only answer was to unsheathe his sword along with everyone else. Confused, Arthur forced his way in front of the knights to see what they were looking at.

A few yards away from them stood Anatol over an unconscious Merlin, right hand falling to her side and the tint of gold fading from her eyes. Anger and fatigue overcoming him, the prince moved from the tree line. "No!" he shouted despite Leon's whispered protests. This got the sorceress' attention. Looking up, she smiled at the prince and moved half way between him and Merlin.

"Hello Arthur, I was wondering where you ran off to"

"Let him go Anatol" he commanded.

"Oh, so you _do_ remember my name. And here I thought it was unimportant"

"Let. Him. Go"

"Sorry, no can do. He's still needed. You however...well, Morgana didn't mind it if I were to kill you so if I were you, I'd go back to your precious Camelot while you still have a chance to say goodbye" she replied.

"I'm not leaving without him"

"Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you" Anatol replied as she brought her hand back up. To his credit, Arthur stood his ground, looking for an opportunity to somehow rescue Merlin.

"No" Leon bravely stepped forward, "_we're_ warning you. Leave Merlin alone. You're outnumbered - surrender now."

"Even with two against one, I still have the advantage" she teased.

"Then how about three?" Lancelot joined Leon.

"Four sounds better to me" Elyan firmly stated.

"Five" Percival said as he stood by the others.

"Make that six gentlemen" Gwaine said, glaring at the sorceress. Arthur smirked when all of his knights came to his side - _they're not the Knights of the Round Table for nothing._

Anatol sized them up. Six and against one _wasn't_ going to be in her favor, especially if it was a drawn-out battle. She had spent a good portion of her magic preparing the spell and transporting herself in close proximity to Merlin. Her magic was spent and Anatol knew she didn't have enough strength to fend all of them off and transport them both back to the castle and she _had_ to bring Merlin back or - Anatol gulped at the thought of Morgause's warning. Groaning to herself, the red-haired sorceress tried to subtlety back away.

"No you don't" Arthur said, stopping her in her tracks. Seeing she was caught, Anatol turned around and booked it for Merlin.

"Stop!" Arthur shouted while running after her but he was too late. Sliding to her knees by the unconscious warlock, Anatol mumbled a couple of enchanted words and both of them disappeared in a magical whirlwind. After reaching the spot where his wounded friend previously lay, the prince fell to his knees and slammed his fist in the ground in frustration.

"Merlin...!" Arthur half-yelled half-cried, refusing to look at the knights surrounding him. He had failed his friend.

"Sire we need to leave" Leon, ever the voice of reason, said sympathetically.

"That's right. We have to go after him!" Gwaine exclaimed.

"No Gwaine, we have to go back to Camelot. It sounded like Morgana's planning an attack. We need to prepare ourselves for battle."

"How can you say that Leon? Merlin's our friend. We can't just leave him to the mercy of Morgana _and _Morgause - I doubt they're going to throw him a big feast or something"

"Gwaine, Merlin's my friend too but I agree with Leon on this" Lancelot said, putting his hand on the usually drunk knight's shoulder. "Merlin wouldn't want us to risk Camelot just for his sake"

_"You have to go to Camelot and warn them of Morgana's plan!"_ Arthur's eyes snapped open at the memory of Merlin's words. Lancelot was right. They had to go back for the sake of the people of Camelot. Merlin wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, he knew his friend wouldn't die - grimly he knew that the witches still needed him alive.

"But we can't just..."

"Gwaine, that's enough" Arthur said, sounding more like a king than a prince. "We're _all_ worried about Merlin but we need to go back to Camelot."

"But Merlin he'll...he'll" Gwaine stuttered, not wanting to finish what he knew everyone was thinking.

"Don't worry. I know for a fact that he'll be alive", everyone's head shot up at the confidence in his words. Lancelot was about to ask how but Arthur put up his hand. "Like I said before, it's a long story and I will explain it to all of you once we return"

The knights nodded. Gwaine huffed in frustration but didn't even bother to argue with Arthur. The faster they got back to Camelot, the faster he would find out what happened, and the faster he could figure out a way to save Merlin.

* * *

Arthur was greeted by a flock of over-concerned knights upon his arrival in the white city. Granted, he did look a little worse for wear with all the scratches and his torn shirt but still, he felt like he was being smothered like the spoiled child he used to be.

He promptly made his way to the king and informed him of the upcoming attack, ignoring his father's attempts at trying to figure out what happened and why he left in the first place. _No need to get my father angry at Merlin when he's not here to defend himself_. Uther's face grew cold with rage at the thought of his daughter attacking again. He quickly ordered for the necessary preparations to be made before looking at his battered son.

"Arthur, you've been through a lot. Go to Gaius' chambers and get yourself patched up. I expect you will be ready to fight by sunset"

"Of course father" he replied, slightly disconcerted by Uther's cold tone towards him. His father had been serious before but with Morgana involved now... Arthur mentally shook those thoughts away before turning around and leaving the throne room. As he passed the knights he bowed his head slightly, hoping they would receive his silent message. _Meet me in Gaius' chambers._

They nodded back and Arthur hurried to the physician's chambers as quickly as he could. There was a lot to discuss in so little time. Knocking on the door, the prince let himself in to find Gaius preparing (what looked like) different medications.

"Gaius"

"Arthur" the physician looked up to greet the prince, "you're back. What happened, are you okay? Where's..." Gaius paused briefly, remembering everything Lancelot told him. "Where's Merlin?"

Arthur's face morphed into surprise - he should've known that Lancelot would've told Gaius what happened to his ward - and then quickly changed to sadness and guilt.

"...I'm sorry Gaius, but...Merlin's been captured by Morgana and Morgause"

The physician stood in shock for a few seconds before turning away from the prince. It felt like a rock just fell on Gaius, crushing every fiber of his being. He wanted to cry, to weep for his foster son but the time for grieving would have to wait. Taking a deep breath, he turned around to face Arthur. Gaius wasn't angry at the prince, but he still felt guilty when he noticed the shame written on the prince's face.

"It's not your fault Arthur" the physician said consolingly but it didn't look like the prince believed it for himself. Still, Gaius knew that they needed to know the full severity of the situation which is why, though it seemed a tad bit heartless, he asked this next question.

"What happened?"

Arthur looked sadly at Gaius. He barely had mustered up the courage to tell him the bad news and now...

"I plan to tell everyone everything that happened when they come" he paused, "Gaius, I know about Merlin's magic" the physician didn't look surprised. "Should I tell the other knights and Gwen about it? Do I have the right to expose his secret without his permission?"

Gaius sighed. "Come here Arthur, let me tend to your wounds". The prince silently obeyed, knowing from childhood experience that arguing with him would prove fruitless, and sat on the stool by the table. Gaius took out his medicine bag and began applying a salve to the various cuts he received, starting with his wrists.

"Gaius?" the prince asked, waiting for an answer.

"If Merlin trusted you with his secret, then it might be wise to let the Round Table Knights know too. They are the men Merlin's trusts the most. I think they would take it rather well - Leon, if anybody, might have a problem with it but he has the utmost trust in both of you Arthur. If you're fine with his magic, then they'll be too."

"Thank you Gaius"

"Not a problem. If the situation is as bad as it seems, then they _should_ know. Besides, I think Merlin would've probably told them himself after telling you."

Arthur sat in silence while Gaius finished patching what little wounds he had. "Again, thank you Gaius...and I'm sorry"

The physician gave him a tired smile. Never had he felt so old. They waited for a couple more minutes before Gwen and the knights filed their way into the physician's chambers. At seeing Arthur, Gwen ran and hugged him, almost making him lose his balance even while sitting.

Gwaine, however, found it prudent to cut the reunion short. "So princess, spill the mead. What happened to Merlin?"

"Something happened to Merlin?" Gwen's urgent voice shot out from behind Arthur's shoulder. Forsaking the hug (to Arthur's slight disappointment), she detached herself from the prince and looked to Gwaine for the answer. "What happened to Merlin. Is he hurt? Where is he?"

"We were hoping the princess could explain" Gwaine replied. Immediately everyone's gaze shifted to the prince. Sighing at the tavern-loving knight's blatant disregard of respect for nobility (nothing new there), Arthur led everyone to Merlin's room and closed the door.

"I guess I should start from when the were-wyvern bit Merlin four days ago."

* * *

The whole room was dead silent. The bright sun was beginning to set when Arthur, with the help of Lancelot and Gaius, finished retelling the previous days' events.

"So Merlin has magic?" Elyan asked, slightly unsure if this new knowledge was leading to some kind of bad joke.

"Yes" Arthur answered.

Gwen and the knights couldn't believe it. Their friend, this whole time, was a sorcerer living right under their very noses at the heart of the kingdom that would've killed him the moment he stepped foot inside the borders just for being alive. The prince looked at Percival, Gwaine, Elyan, Leon, and Gwen and tried to gauge their reactions. Confusion was on everyone's face. There was anger on Leon's, shock on Elyan's and Gwen's, Percival refused to show anything else, and - was Gwaine actually _amused_?

"So...truthfully, what do all of you think about...well, all of _this_?" Arthur asked.

Not surprisingly, Gwaine was the first to answer. "Honestly, it doesn't make a difference to me. Merlin is Merlin - there's no way he can be evil just because he has magic and I think what he's been through has proven my point. I'm only upset that he didn't tell me - oh, the many things we could've done, the many drinks we could have enjoyed..."

Arthur smiled at the drunk knight's answer despite the fact that said knight was now probably day-dreaming about mead and different ways to force Merlin to the tavern for his own entertainment.

"Oh!" Gwaine snapped his fingers, "_That's_ how he beat me at the drinking contest the other night. He was already cursed by then. I knew he could never beat me in reality Perce"

Arthur didn't want to know.

"Like I've told you before, it's Percival Gwaine" the strong knight said before Gwaine sheepishly grinned back.

"What are your thoughts Percival?" Arthur asked.

"Well, where I grew up, magic wasn't viewed as evil _or_ good - it just _was_. For those who could wield it, it was simply an extension of one's self, a way of interacting with the world. In fact, my family traveled with the druids at times when we were on the move. They offered us protection and we would aid them with the harvest. We coexisted, if you will - relying on each other in difficult times and prospering during the good. All in all, I have to agree with Gwaine on this. Having magic doesn't make Merlin evil. He's the kindest man I've ever and will probably ever know and nothing, not even magic, could change that." Percival finished. Grinning mischievously at Gwaine, he added, "And him being cursed also explains why he was able to eat more than I ever could in one serving" to which he, Gwaine, and Elyan laughed at the memory.

Arthur _really_ didn't want to know.

"Elyan?"

"I've known Merlin for a while. After everything he's done for you and for Camelot, I don't see why he doesn't deserve my trust. I can understand him not telling anyone about it - he was probably afraid of what we might think or do. Just being here took courage and I can admire him for overcoming his fear to put others' wellbeing before his own. Merlin has my utmost trust Arthur"

The prince nodded in approval of the knights' response to their friend having - scratch that - _being, _magic. Now all he needed to do was confront Gwen and Leon, the two who had known Merlin the longest.

"Gwen?"

The servant in question clenched her fists in what looked like frustration. Arthur tilted his head in confusion when her eyes watered. Suddenly, she put her hands to her face and began crying. Elyan wrapped his arms around her shoulder to comfort her.

"Gwen, what's wrong?" her brother asked.

"Merlin was the one who healed our father when the water was poisoned" she sobbed. "It had to be him. He asked me how he was doing before I told anyone that he was cured. All this time and I didn't know. And I bet he's done more for all of us than he's let' on...oh, we've been completely ungrateful!" she finished crying, wiping the last remaining tears away. "When I see him, he's going to get a piece of my mind for not confiding in us sooner!" she said determinedly.

Arthur let Elyan comfort his sister as her words sunk right in. He had been ungrateful to his friend, even when it wasn't magic-related. All those battles he'd supposedly won, those monsters he had slain - they were all Merlin, but he let him take all the credit while he called Merlin a girl and a coward. The prince was touched by the warlock's humility. He truly never had known such a person like Merlin.

The prince shook his head and looked at Leon. He was going to be hard to convince that Merlin was good - after all, this was the second in command to the entire army. The knight had been taught since a young age that magic was evil. Convincing him otherwise was going to be almost impossible.

"Leon?"

For a couple seconds, the older knight refused to say anything. It seemed like he was still sorting everything out for himself. Eventually, though, Leon spoke up.

"Arthur, you know where I stand when it comes to magic. It's _all_ evil and this has been proven time and again". At this, Gwaine looked like he was ready to pounce and throttle the knight. "However, I've also seen a peaceful side to magic, a good example being the druids. When my patrol was attacked by Cendred's men, they saved me. _Me_, a knight of Camelot who, under the King's orders, would've attacked them. I trust you and your judgment, but..."

"Oh come on Leon! You can't be serious" Gwaine angrily interrupted. "How can you not trust Merlin after everything he's..."

"But..." Leon enunciated, stopping Gwaine's imminent tirade. "...I also trust Merlin" the tavern loving knight immediately clamped his mouth shut. "He's been the most loyal friend I've ever seen and he's put his life on the line for you, Arthur, many times. If anyone was to prove that magic can be used for good, Merlin would be perfect for the job. So unless he proves otherwise, I trust him with my life"

Arthur beamed at Leon's - no everyone's - conviction and trust in his friend and judging by Lancelot and Gaius' smiling faces, they agreed as well.

"And what about you Arthur?" Percival asked. "How do you feel about Merlin having magic?"

Everyone, even Lancelot and Gaius, looked at the prince expectedly. Arthur thought about what he could say - he could've told a long tale about the different instances where he remembered a situation righting itself 'magically'. He could've proclaimed how, in the short time they were held captive, Merlin had proven his loyalty even in his most difficult situation. Heck, he could've just told them what Merlin said a few nights ago when Arthur asked him what he had done with his magic.

But Arthur just settled for a short and simple answer.

"I trust Merlin with my life and I would gladly give my life for him in a heartbeat"

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**So yeah...that's the chapter. This is pretty much what I sort of hope the knights would react (more or less) to learning that Merlin has magic. Most likely, when the 'big reveal' comes (hopefully season 5) Merlin will be either: 1) exiled/banished or 2) imprisoned ( or #3 sentenced to die - if the writers really wanted to make us fans scream our heads off in anger and possibly throw inanimate objects at our television screen - but I digress) XD**

**As always, please review.**

**The next chapter should be up Friday and we'll see what has happened to our favorite warlock.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	22. Origins

**Thanks to: Revenge of the Red Pen, TeganL74, Boxerbee, and A maze thing for reviewing last chapter.**

**In this exciting new chapter, we focus back to Merlin and what's going on with him. Slight whump and...well, you'll just have to read and find out. :)**

**Disclaimer: IDOM (because I'm too lazy to take the time to write the whole disclaimer)**

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**Chapter 21 - Origins**

"Where am I" he groaned. His vision was blurry, blood rushed to his ears, and the throbbed pounding on the inside of his skull prevented him from focusing on anything for too long. He was alone, he knew that for sure and he felt weak. He tried shifting in his position but cried out in pain when a burning sensation flared from his stomach. He had been shot!...but he couldn't feel the blood he assumed would be bleeding out of him at this moment. Moving to inspect it was a bad idea. Not only did his whole body protest but something was restraining his movements. Looking at his wrists, he noticed that his hands and feet were loosely chained to the wall again along with his torso and his neck. _I'm not some dog, _he thought bitterly. _Then again, in my current predicament, maybe I need all of these restraints. They didn't work too well last time._

_Last time_. Last time he'd been in these dungeons, he and Arthur had...Oh yeah, where was the prat? The last time he saw Arthur was in the forest. He had gone to get some yarrow but then the witch came and then - nothing. The warlock didn't know if he should be happy that Arthur wasn't with him or if he should be worried about his safety. Gods knew that the prince couldn't last a day without him.

Merlin slowly bent his head upward to the window directly above him, trying to shake off his lethargy. The sunlight shone through, illuminating the dark room he was bound in. It taunted him, reaffirming his thoughts of not being free of the curse, the internal prison that chained him to the cruel nightly fate of death. And yet, it strangely gave him hope, hope that despite the situation, he - no, _they _would find a happy ending to his dilemma. After all, he was only one side of the coin - the brighter side he reminded himself - and his other side told him not to give up hope. And this time, he was going to listen.

After a couple minutes of contemplation, Merlin regained his senses and truly looked at his surroundings. It was the same prison alright but this time, he could make out a guard outside his doors from the small, barred opening. _Well, at least they're learning_, he mused internally. He had already noted his extra bindings so he moved on to his wounds. Now that he was out of his sluggish stupor, the wounds from the Dægar and the arrow wounds on his stomach and upper arm (although that one was only just a large scratch), to his surprise were all healed. They were sore as hell and the bite from the were-wyvern still ached, but other than that, he was perfectly fine.

Someone had healed him, but why? It obviously wasn't him since he still couldn't use his magic and the fact that, even if he could, he was utterly useless when it came to healing spells. By the severity of his wounds, it had to be someone with magic and he highly doubted that the druids would heal him and then chain him, even if they did know he was cursed. So that had to mean that one of the three witches (or their henchmen) had healed him...which then brought him back to his original question.

Why?

Or more importantly, for what purpose did they need him fully healed? What were they going to do to him? Merlin remembered Morgana mentioning an attack on Camelot later on. Was he supposed to fight on _their_ side - because if they thought that he would willingly fight for them against Camelot then they were sorely mistaken.

As if to answer his questions, the cell door unlocked and was opened by one of the guards. Anatol stepped in, her black cloak draping behind her, followed by four hooded men. Merlin didn't bother to move, his piercing gaze never leaving the witch who cursed him. Unfazed, she flicked her hand to the men who had accompanied her. "Take him"

Immediately they moved. Snapping off his manacles from the wall with a few magical words, one guard forced a hood over his head. Pulling him by the remaining slack of the chain, they followed Anatol and proceeded to drag him through the corridor. The warlock offered some resistance at first but his attempts proved futile with a firm punch to the stomach, right where the arrow wound had been. He yelled out in pain and fell to the ground, his body refusing to get up for a couple of seconds. Frustrated, the guards forced him to his feet and, pulling the chains like he was some animal, dragged him through the corridor. Of course, his clumsiness was resistance enough and being blindfolded only made it worse for him and the guards. What probably would have been a five minute walk turned into fifteen minutes by the time they had reached their destination. Merlin was shoved to his knees while (by the sound of it) they reattached his chains to the wall, forcing him to kneel with his arms tightly outstretched. After an eternity and a half, the hood was roughly yanked off his head. Squinting, the warlock took a moment to adjust his sight to the dark, candlelit room.

The room, which was slightly smaller than the prison cell he was previously in, was littered with all sorts of scattered papers. Hundreds of books were either stuffed into bookshelves or laid open on the table in front of him. There was an old cauldron in the corner that, by the amount of cobwebs strung to it, hadn't looked like it had been used in a while. Skulls, some broken and some whole, were strewn in the corner, encircling the enormous pot whose strange markings seemed to glow in the candlelight. The room, in general, gave off an eerie feeling to the warlock and, had he not been tied up, he would've ran out of the room with all due haste and never returned.

"So, what do you think?" Anatol's voice snapped Merlin out of his daze. She must of noticed the look of horror on his face as he inspected his surroundings. At this, she smiled. "This used to be an old sorcerer's room hundreds and hundreds of years ago", Anatol paused to look at her captive. "It's an interesting story Merlin, I'm sure you would enjoy it." Merlin just continued to stare coldly at her, wondering why she was telling him a story of all things.

"In the days of old, after the birth of the five kingdoms, there lived a warlock of incredible power. He went by the name _Sáwol_ and for those who heard of him, he was feared for his terrifying might. He was said to be the greatest sorcerer ever to live. In fact, many peasants and kings believed him to be the Emrys of legends, the one who would bring magic back to the land" Merlin inhaled sharply at the use of his druid name. Anatol didn't seem to notice and began pacing in front of the chained warlock.

"However, the druids chieftains were smarter than the fools who worshipped the ground he tread. Yes, Emrys was foretold to be the most powerful warlock ever to walk the earth, but they knew _he_ wasn't the one. Emrys was told to be a warlock of great power but also of great compassion, something that Sáwol thoroughly lacked. Inviting him to their land, which was located at the borders were all the five kingdoms met, they met with him privately and after much discussion, announced to the whole clan that he was _not _the chosen one. Enraged at not being given the title, he attacked the druid chieftains. Alone, they were no match for his great strength but with their magic united together as one, not even his massive power stood a chance. After being beaten by the druid leaders, they stripped Sáwol of his magic and banished him from their lands, never to return again under pain of death."

"It was in his fit of rage that Sáwol, who was before known for his mastery of every form of sorcery, challenged the druid laws and set his eyes on the most forbidden technique known to sorcerers alike - _dark magic._ Stealing the books from the druid vaults, he locked himself in this very room and began studying the dark arts. He didn't eat. He didn't drink. He didn't sleep. Driven by revenge, he made it his life's work to find a spell that would give him the ultimate power to strike back at those who had wronged him and taken away his magic"

"It was only after years of endless study that he finally found it - the spell that would give him unlimited power. Incanting it, he was given more power than he had ever possessed but it came with a terrible price. It turned him into a creature of darkness, fierce as any dragon, black as the night sky and eyes white as snow". At this, Merlin gasped and Anatol smiled maliciously.

"But that's the..." Merlin whispered.

"Yes, he became the first were-wyvern and with his power, he attacked the druids. Controlling the dark magic that coursed through his very being, he forcefully summoned every wyvern and had them attack all the druids. Together, they ravaged the druid lands, tearing up villages and killing all who stood in his way. No-one was spared from Sawol's wrath. The chieftains, knowing that even their combined power would not stop such evil and hate and wanting to stop any further bloodshed, had one trick up their sleeve. Facing Sáwol head on, they sacrificed themselves by giving up their magic and bound him, cursing him to be trapped in his own spell unless summoned by another. Before taking their final breath, they hid the spell away in hopes that no-one would ever find the spell that would summon him. What they didn't know was that, in doing so, they indirectly created an extremely powerful curse and a unique creature of dark magic. After they died, the druids, leaderless and lost, fought amongst themselves and dispersed throughout the five kingdoms, forfeiting their lands to the Five Great Kings. With Sawol defeated, the wyverns fled to the Perlious Lands. It was hundreds of years later that Sáwol's summon was found and those who were able to harness its power used it to strike at their enemies and deal them a blow worse than death - to be cursed for all eternity - and thus created an endless cycle of death"

The room went silent when Anatol finished her story, her pacing stopped her right in front of Merlin. The cursed warlock now knew why he felt so uneasy in the room. It reeked of dark magic, the very substance that was coursing through him at that very moment. Sáwol was his polar opposite in all senses of the word - it was of no surprise why he felt so ill. When he glanced at the room again, realization hit. The books, _the skulls_...what dark magic had Sáwol performed in here in his un-endless search for power? Why had Anatol brought him here? He doubted that it was just to make him feel ill and to tell him a story. Looking up at the sorceress, he found her standing over him, glaring maliciously at him from above.

"What was the point of telling me this?" he asked though deep breaths, trying to steady his breathing.

She smiled cruelly at him. "To show you that no matter what happens, there's no hope for you now. You can't escape fate. You can't escape destiny". With that, she moved closer. Merlin began struggling in his bindings, but his attempts proved futile. Laying both hands on his forehead, she took a deep breath. "_Ic ambiht ðú__álætee mé__ infær!"_ Merlin gasped in pain as both their eyes flashed gold. Darkness overshadowed the room, swallowing everything in its path. Within seconds, Merlin's world went black.

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**I had so much fun writing this chapter and coming up with the story. You'll see why it's important later on. Thanks to all you reviewers, favoriters, alerters, and generally all you readers out there for the support. The story will be coming to an end soon so stay tuned to see the finale.**

**Spell Translation:**

_**Ic ambiht ðú**__**álætee mé**__** infær!**__** - **_**I command you to let me enter!**

**Oh and Sáwol actually means 'immortal' in Old English**. **I thought the name fit him perfectly since Emrys is supposed to mean immortal as well and, for my story, he's supposed to be Merlin's polar opposite.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	23. The Reality of Things

**Thanks to: TeganL74, Boxerbee, The Reinbach Dragonlord, Revenge of the Red Pen, and Fawkes Flame for reviewing. I'm so excited that I'm almost at 100 reviews. You guys are awesome!**

**Disclaimer: IDOM**

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**Chapter 22 - The Reality of Things...**

Merlin's eyes shot open and all he saw was darkness. After a few moments of adjusting his sight, he found that he wasn't confined to his bonds anymore. Somehow though, this didn't comfort him. He didn't know what Anatol was planning to do, but whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good. He walked forward (or what seemed like forward) for a bit, footsteps echoing while he wandered in the darkness, looking for any sign of life. After a couple minutes, a faint light appeared to his right. Turning to follow it, he finally came to an oak door whose leafy carvings seemed to magically hum to him. Light was creeping through its edges from the other side and wanting to see where this door led to, Merlin pulled it opened.

The young warlock gasped. Sun shining, a vast green meadow lay before him, adorned with a variety of summer flowers. The breeze lifted some of them off the ground and they twirled in the air like a multitude of tiny dancers before flowing to the east. A crystal lake sparkled at the bottom of the meadow, it's clear waters reflecting the blue sky. The warlock just stared at everything, his breath taken away by its beauty.

"_Mer_lin!" The young warlock was abruptly shaken from his daze at the all-too familiar sound of his name. Head snapping to his left, he saw the last person he expected to see.

"Arthur, what are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same question. Everyone's been waiting for you, you idiot"

"Everyone?"

The prince let out a heavy sigh. "Please don't tell me you forgot about the picnic Gwen set up? She'll have your head if you did". Merlin gave a confused look.

"Gwen's here too?" _What was going on?_

"Yes she is, and the knights as well... Great, you _did _forget. No matter, you're still coming. Everyone's waiting" Arthur said before stubbornly dragging a dumbfounded Merlin by the arm. The warlock was about to protest, but his friend cut him off.

"How could you forget the picnic? Do you know how long it took Gwen to set this up? She wouldn't stop complaining to me about it. Whatever you do, don't tell her you forgot - we _both _wouldn't hear the end of it. Just say...you got lost or something. You probably would anyway" Arthur finished, grinning at his friend. Merlin couldn't help smile back despite his confusion but he didn't respond to the taunt. His mind was still trying to figure out how everyone got here.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the picnic sight. Just like Arthur said, the Round Table knights were all sitting on the grass, laughing and conversing with each other like the brothers they were. Upon seeing Merlin, they all shouted for him to come over.

"Merlin!" Elyan and Leon exclaimed.

"How's it going my friend?" Lancelot asked.

"Where have you been? It's been boring with just the princess to entertain us" Gwaine half-whined.

"The idiot got lost - only you Merlin would be able to get lost in an area you personally recommended" Arthur said the last part looking at his friend, willing him to play along with the excuse.

"Dollophead" he said to which the others laughed. Seeing Gwen, Merlin headed to where she was sorting the food.

"Come sit here and eat Merlin. Enjoy yourself." Gwen said, patting the blanket she was sitting on. Hesitantly, he made his way over.

"What's wrong Merlin?" Gwen asked, sensing the warlock's discomfort.

"Nothing. Um...this just..seems like a dream?"

"You're speaking jibberish _Mer_lin", Arthur interjected, "of course this _isn't _a dream...you clot-pole of an idiot"

At the name calling, the knights roared in laughter causing Merlin to smile as well. Forgetting his past predicament, he grabbed an apple, sat in the grass by the knights and enjoyed their company. They talked about many adventures, told many stories (Gwaine did most of the story telling - his past travels around the five kingdoms made for many laughs), and just enjoyed each other's company. After eating, they all laid down and stared up at the clouds.

Merlin let out a deep breath. He had never taken the time to laugh with his brothers-in-arms before. It felt good just to relax instead of doing chores for Arthur and Gaius and saving Camelot from evil sorcerers. He closed his eyes to feel the fresh breeze when a painfully familiar voice startled him awake.

_"Fight it Merlin!"_

The warlock snapped his head to the right, but no-one was there. In fact, the knights, Arthur, and Gwen were _no-where_ to be seen and the sky had unnaturally darkened.

_"Merlin, my love, you have to fight it. Get out!"_

Again, Merlin looked around at the sound of her voice. He would know that voice anywhere.

"Freya, is that you? Where are you?"

No answer.

"Freya!" he called again.

_"Merlin...run!"_ Stumbling to his feet, he obeyed and ran back in the direction of the door_. What was going on? Where did everyone go? Where was Freya? What's happening? _Merlin had so many questions but right now, he knew he just had to leave. After what felt like an eternity of running, he finally caught sight of the door and judging by its size, he still had a ways to go before he would reach it. Hope sprang up until a hand roughly jerked him back. He turned around, only to meet the cold stare of Lancelot.

"Where are you going Merlin?"

A shiver ran down his spine. Something about Lancelot was off. There was no love, no compassion - nothing in his eyes. There was only cold and death. Not able to answer, he staggered back a couple feet and turned to leave, only to come face-to-face with Gwaine.

"What's the rush mate? Everyone's waiting for you" he said. Again, it wasn't the fun-loving knight he knew. It was _something else. _Merlin stumbled away from Gwaine and Lancelot as they moved towards him. He tried to go left, but Percival and Leon suddenly blocked his way. He turned to his right, but Elyan and Gwen prevented him from passing - all of them wearing the same dead expression.

Seeing everyone surrounding him, Merlin weaved between Elyan and Gwen and took off. No-one made a move to stop him, so the warlock can be forgiven for assuming that they wouldn't follow. Hi assumption was proven wrong when he ran into the giant form of Sir Percival. The knight grabbed Merlin tightly around his left wrist.

"Merlin, where are you going?"

His touch was unsettling - a dark pulse rippled through his arm making his magic itch. The warlock just wanted to get away. "Percival, please let go" he said, clawing at the hand latched around his wrist.

"Where are you going?" he repeated. Merlin, fear evident in his eyes, used all his strength and wrenched Percival's hand away. Swerving around, he took off.

_That was close. How did Percival get in front of me so soon? There's no way he could...,_ Merlin's train of thought was cut off when he saw the familiar forms of Leon and Gwaine. Spotting a large boulder with a tree to its right, he hid behind it, trying to make himself as small as possible. Both knights walked in his general direction and the warlock tried to steady his breathing. Thunder clapped over head, giving the rain permission to begin its downpour. Closing his eyes, Merlin let the rain calm him down and he focused on his surroundings. Eventually two pairs of footsteps drew closer. One continued but the other completely stopped, as if searching for something that wasn't supposedly there. To the warlock's dismay, they headed in his direction, the footsteps making a _splatting_ sound as they crushed the wet leaves strewn on the ground. _Please don't find me, please don't find me, please don't find..._A few moments of ominous silence and the footsteps suddenly continued on their way. Merlin quietly let go of the breath he was holding and carefully peeked around to see Leon walking away. Taking in a deep breath, he readied himself to make a run for the door (he thanked whatever deity that he remembered where it was). Another clap of thunder and two arms shot out and held him in place, one wrapped around his waist and the other around his neck, and began dragging him back.

"Come on Merlin, don't you want to stay?"

"G...Gwaine..." Merlin said, struggling to breath.

"Why won't you stay with us?"

"I...can't...breathe..."

"Why won't you stay with us Merlin"

"Gwai...let...go!" he said before biting on the wrist in front of his mouth (Merlin would later reflect on the irony of his action). Surprisingly, the knight let go and Merlin sprinted for his life. He didn't look back until he was sure he had reached the door. After spotting his only chance of escape, the warlock renewed his efforts and made his way to it as quickly as possible. It was only when he was about to grab the handle that he heard it.

"Merlin, why are you leaving us?"

Quickly turning at the sound of Gwen's voice, the warlock saw, to his horror, that everybody was there. All of them spoke at once, wanting, asking, _begging_ him to stay. The sound grew louder and louder, unnaturally so that the warlock was forced to cover his ears in hopes of stopping the pain. The group slowly came closer, dragging their feet through the muddied, wet ground. Thunder clapped over head. With each step they took, Merlin stepped back until he had his back to the door. Not wanting to turn around, he frantically fumbled with the door knob and after precious seconds of _not _budging, it finally clicked open.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry _Mer_lin?" The warlock yelped in surprise to see the prince standing in the opened doorway.

"Ar-Arthur?!"

"Come on Merlin, you know it's rude to leave without saying goodbye" Arthur said before shoving the warlock harshly to the ground. Merlin tried to get up but the thick mud latched onto him like thousands of hands, refusing to release their prisoner. The downpour seemed to thicken it more and the more he struggled, the more he seemed to sink, his clothing now fusing with the muddied ground. _This can't be happening!_

"Oh but it is Merlin...it is" Arthur said, as if reading the warlock's mind. Looking around, Merlin was completely surrounded. The knights, Arthur, and Gwen came closer, tightening the circle around the warlock like a noose. Seeing no-other option, Merlin searched for his magic and unleashed it on the group - except nothing happened. He tried again...and again...and again.

The warlock's fearful eyes widened as the circle slowly tightened around him. When they were several feet away, they stopped in their tracks and just stood there. Moments passed until the group laughed in unison, their voices melded into a higher, unsettling tone. "I told you once, and I'll tell you again. There's no hope of escape now" _Those words! _Realization dawned on him a little bit late. Suddenly, his friends, like salt when touched by water, dissolved into grotesque shadowy figures, all disfigured and snarling like wild animals. After a piercing scream, they rushed at the warlock. Darkness consumed him and before he could blink, he was back in the dark abyss, arms outstretched and chained in the same position he was in before.

"Hello Merlin" Anatol greeted, walking out of the shadows.

"Where am I?" Merlin asked after catching his breath.

"Oh, this is your subconscious...well, at least what's left of it. Soon though, all of it will be under _his_ control... and effectively mine. So I guess this will be your prison now...tough luck" she said before moving her head to something behind her. Merlin craned his neck to see what she was motioning to when a black figure walked out. He gasped in horror upon seeing the were-wyvern.

"You see, in order to get complete control, I needed to tear down the walls you put up that blocked the were-wyvern's dark influence. I must say that they were quite impressive and I should thank you for giving me enough time to do so - if you hadn't left to socialize with your imaginary friends then I would've had a much harder time"

Merlin mentally berated himself. All of this was a trick from the start and he fell for it like a gullible fool.

"Now then, I think it's time to wrap things up here" Anatol said before disappearing entirely, leaving only the were-wyvern standing directly in front of Merlin, its white eyes gleaming in the darkness. The air around him became heavy and the witch's voice resonated through Merlin subconscious. "_Drýcræft sylfum deorcnes wiðinnan forjjclipung. I__c i __béo þín mandryhten ond __þu__ manest níedhæs. Ymbféheþ hine in deáþscúfa. Ymbféheþ hine in déaþ. Ymbféheþ hine in cwealm. Befylge mín bebýt. Nú drýcræft sylfum deorcnes. __á__ríseeþ!"_

At that moment, the were-wyvern leaned forward and touched its forehead to Merlin's. Pain flared everywhere, the dark magic inside was fighting for dominance - drawn to the beast's familiar magic - and unfortunately for Merlin, it was winning. He pulled on his chains in a futile attempt to escape. Proving too much for him, the warlock screamed to the dark abyss and was lost to the darkness.

* * *

As soon as she started incanting, Merlin's back arched from his kneeling position in the candle-lit room. It was like he was hit by a tidal wave, its power knocking the breath out of him. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The chains that bound him felt like they were tightening, slowly choking what life he had left. He felt himself slipping, struggling to hold on to control. His right shoulder was an explosion of pain that spread throughout his entire body. He felt the were-wyvern's will (the culminated wills of Sáwol and all those who came after) rising to overpower him. His Dragonlord abilities did nothing to suppress the raging beast within. At the end of the enchantment, Merlin felt his body slump to the floor. He fought with all his might but like Anatol had told him earlier, there was no hope.

* * *

When Merlin had finally lost consciousness, Anatol stepped back and let out a sigh of relief. The spell itself was strong magic - added to the fact that she destroyed the boy's will, Anatol was drained. She had to hand it to him, Merlin had a strong will ('had' being the operative word). Evening had not yet come so she waited patiently to make sure that the spell worked. _No need to get Morgana angry again._

It was only about a fifteen minute wait until Merlin began shifting. A black aura shrouded the warlock and within minutes, black wings sprouted from his back and surrounded him completely. A few moments later and they lowered themselves to reveal the were-wyvern. Immediately, it began thrashing in its chains, which in only a matter of seconds were very close to breaking. The guards, not being able to restrain the beast, quickly moved themselves from the imminent threat. _Cowards. _Stepping forward, Anatol faced the were-wyvern and with authority, she shouted, "Stop!"

The reaction was instant. The were-wyvern went completely still the moment the words of her command left her lips. Smiling, she tested her power over the beast again. "Now, bow before me". Not wasting a second, the dark creature, in its chains, bowed its head deeply to its master.

Anatol grinned at the obedience. All was ready now and soon, Camelot would be _hers_ and hers alone. She nodded to her guards to come closer and with a flash of gold and a few choice words, Anatol teleported them to where Morgana's army waited for her arrival. They would attack Camelot and all the wyverns she had secretly captured would be at her command. Not even Morgana's army could stop her now.

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**Okay, so that was a little mean of me. In the words of Katie McGrath, 'Poor Merlin'. So next time, the battle for Camelot will begin.**

**I'm almost done writing the story. Hopefully, it will be soon and when it's done, I will post a little more frequently. **

**Spell Translation:**

_**Dark magic within come forth. I am your master and you will obey. Envelope him in shadow. Envelope him in death. Envelope him in pain. You will follow my commands. Now, dark magic. Arise!**_

**Who will be the 100th reviewer? Or the 101st...or 102nd (and I can keep going). No seriously, thanks again guys for all your support and I hope you enjoy how everything ends.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	24. Betrayals and Reunions

**Every time I looked at my review count, it kept going higher and higher. So thank you: K (guest), Tolleren, IndiaMoore, Revenge of the Red Pen, brynerose, TheReinbachDragonlord, TeganL74, RavenWitch23, and .127 for all your reviews. You guys are just awesome and I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: IDOM**

* * *

**Chapter 23 - Betrayals and Reunions**

The sun had just set when all the preparations were made. Every knight, soldier, and guard - even the servants - were all ready for the inevitable attack. Now, every man, women, and child held their breath, waiting for the first signs of Morgana's army. It had only been a couple of months since her last takeover of Camelot - just when they thought they'd seen the last of her, the traitor had to rear her ugly head and attacks their homes and everything they held dear.

Arthur dispatched his knights strategically. The Knights of the Round Table stayed with him at the gates while the others were dispersed around various parts of the castle. Not that the other knights weren't good enough but _his _knights held a special place in the prince's heart. These were the men who helped take down Morgana when she attacked a couple months before. If he was going to face her again, he would do it standing by his most trusted men.

An eerie silence fell over Arthur and the knights. What was going to happen? How strong was the enemy?

_Where was Merlin?_

All of them were worried about him, especially Arthur. He didn't want to think of what they would do to him so he decided to concentrate more on the upcoming battle. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and stayed like that in pure concentration...and that's exactly how he was found when Gwaine interrupted him.

"Princess!" the prince jumped in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle his highness" the surly knight retorted.

"You didn't startle me, I just simply remembered something"

"What, that you are a prat?"

"Yes - no - I mean, that's Merlin's word"

"Yeah, I know". Both men lowered their eyes to the floor at the mention of their lost friend. Gods, they hoped he was okay. "I hope he's alright too princess"

"How did you...?"

"We're all thinking about him Sire" Leon said, joining them in their conversation. Percival, Lancelot and Elyan moved closer, nodding their heads in agreement. Arthur smiled at their loyalty and went back to his contemplative silence.

"...So..."

"Yes Gwaine?" Arthur said through closed eyes.

"So, Merlin's a were-wyvern?" Everybody nodded their heads. "But wouldn't that mean that he would only change on full moons, not every night?" At this everyone furrowed their eyebrows in confusion, except Lancelot who was shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Where did you hear that nonsense?" Arthur asked.

"Well..."

"Gwaine, Gaius and I have been through this already. A were-wyvern is _not _a were-wolf" Lancelot said.

"But it has the same name...kind of"

"Gwaine..." Lancelot said warningly.

"Alright, alright. Serious moment here, calm before the storm and all that - no-one wants to hear my charming voice. I get it but you guys could smile _once_ in a while. It's not like we're gonna _die_ or anything"

No-one bothered to reprimand Gwaine any longer. A blind man could see (yes, that meant Arthur too) that he was anxious for the upcoming battle as they all were. This was Gwaine's way of dealing with stress, no matter how annoying it could be.

All was silent once again. The darkness that the night sky overshadowed them with seemed to have calmed the group. Not a sound was heard, except for the slight rustling of leaves when the night breeze swept by. And it was in this eerie silence that the first light of a torch was seen midway in the cover of the trees.

Then another.

And another.

And another until decades upon decades of torches were lit, illuminating the forest like a hundred tiny candles.

The calm had passed. The storm had arrived.

* * *

Morgana was ready. After only a couple of days of desperate recruiting, victory would soon be hers. Camelot didn't stand a chance now that she had an army of sorcerers at her disposal. And the icing on the cake was the were-wyvern.

When Anatol and her guards entered the camp with a chained were-wyvern in tow, Morgana couldn't help but admit that she was excited. Not only did they have an extremely powerful creature at their command, but said creature was Merlin. Seeing him cursed and with no will to undermine her plans - it was the best form of revenge she could hope for.

"Anatol" Morgana greeted with a smile. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the were-wyvern following her like a dog on a leash. When the red-haired sorceress followed her line of sight and noticed what she was looking at, she smiled.

"Yes, I am proud to say that Merlin won't be giving us anymore trouble. The were-wyvern is fully under control". _**My **__control, _she mentally added. To prove her point, she motioned for it to come forward. With all due haste, it stepped forward. "Now bow before the Lady Morgana" and it did. Morgana grinned at the idea of being able to command the were-wyvern.

"This is wonderful news Anatol" Morgause interjected while walking in to the group. "You have done well"

"Yes, indeed" Morgana added.

Anatol played along, ignoring the green-eyed sorceress' obvious fake smile. "Then at your word, we are all ready to attack"

* * *

Once the enemy revealed themselves, the battle had shortly begun. The night sky was lighted by the onslaught of fireballs being shot at the castle. Arrows rained down from over the walls of Camelot. Both sides were fiercely battling, trying to cut down their opponents with long range attacks.

"On me!" Arthur yelled through the noise of battle. His knights came to his side immediately, creating a triangle of defense with the prince at the front. The prince was right to assume that Morgana's army would attack with a mixture of sorcerers and soldiers. Assessing his individual knight's strengths and weaknesses, he strategically split the group to fight the incoming enemy. So when the enemy broke through the gates in the lower town, Arthur and his knights charged their way to the middle of the army before splitting up into groups, cutting down all who stood in their way. Percival and Leon took down their enemies with ease while Lancelot and Elyan, who weren't as strong as the previously mentioned knights, used their agility and smaller frame to take down the men who dared challenge them. Though it pained Arthur to admit it, Gwaine was the best knight to match up with him. His unique style of swordsmanship made him a skilled fighter - added to Arthur's experience and the two were an unstoppable pair.

It wasn't until a bolt of lightning barely missed the prince that Arthur had his men retreat. It turned out that the these men were just the first round, sent in to test the strength Camelot had to offer. It was a good plan on Morgana's part - after all, it had been three months since she had been in the white city and many things had changed, including the security.

"Fall back!" the prince's voice rang through the noise of battle just as another fire ball was shot at the group. Once every knight had safely passed through, the gates to the lower town were tightly closed.

"So what's the plan princess?" Gwaine said through ragged breaths.

"We need the archers to position themselves facing the gate" he said to Leon, who left immediately to inform the archers. "We will finish off those who manage to get by them. As for the sorcerers, we'll have to deal with them later. We have no-way to attack them without exposing ourselves. Let's deal with those we can kill before dealing with something out of our reach"

At that, everyone broke off to prepare themselves for the next part of the siege. Not one person got far when a sudden _BANG _filled the area. Everyone froze.

"What...was that?" Lancelot asked to no-one in particular.

A moment of silence.

_BANG!_

"Sire", Leon shouted from one of the ramparts, "they're ramming the doors!"

"Brace the gates!"

_BANG!_

A mass of guards rushed to secure the wooden door while the rest scrambled to get into position. Arthur stood in the midst of the confusion and took the scene in. All hell was going to break loose. There was nothing he could do to stop it.

* * *

Morgause and Morgana looked on with malicious glee. Their plans were going perfectly and soon Camelot would be theirs once again. Gathering the remaining members of her army, the green-eyed witch turned to announce the next phase of attack.

"Camelot will soon fall and once we reclaim it, you all will finally be free!" The crowd gave a loud roar. "Now once the gates are opened, my foolish brother will try to lead a counter attack, but we will be ready. All we need to do is..."

"Follow me" At this, everyone turned to look at the only one brave - and possibly foolish - enough to interrupt. Morgana was fuming at the familiar voice while Morgause stepped out and stood by her sister's side.

"And you have something better in mind Anatol?"

"In fact, I do" she said pointedly before turning to the army. "Morgana plans to send all of you in while she sits back and lets you do the hard work. Do you really want to take the chance of dying when she promises each of one of you freedom? If you follow me, no-one will have to worry about dying"

"Anatol!" Morgause exclaimed, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, this is the moment I take over" she said smugly. Enraged at the betrayal, Morgause swiftly raised her hand at her traitorous friend. _"Astrice!". _A powerful force hurled its way at the red-haired sorceress...but it didn't hit its target.

Anatol's eyes flashed blood red and before the spell could hit, the were-wyvern intercepted it, barely making the black beast flinch. In the blink of an eye, it rushed at Morgause. She tried the spell again, but the results were the same. Before she knew it, the were-wyvern snapped at her raised hands, causing her to trip and fall backwards. Coming to her sister's aid, Morgana unleashed a burst of raw energy instinctually. To her dismay, the were-wyvern set its sights on her. Menacingly it slowly walked towards Morgana despite the spells being frantically flung its way.

"Stop" Anatol commanded with a raised hand. Only a few feet away from the witch, the were-wyvern halted in its tracks. Morgana calmed herself and shot a death glare at the traitor. Anatol ignored it and looked to the shell-shocked crowd.

"You need not fear. I am in complete control of the were-wyvern. With its power, _I_ can ensure victory over Camelot _without_ any deaths on our part... unlike Morgana and Morgause" The crowd filled with whispers as every soldier and sorcerer began to weigh their options with their comrades.

"And how do you plan on doing that? Everyone knows that war is not without sacrifice" Morgause challenged as she picked herself up from the ground.

"I'm so glad you asked" and with a redden flash of her eyes, the were-wyvern flew to her side and roared to the sky. All fell silent until the trees behind rustled. Flocks of birds fled from the safety of their homes, trying to escape the approaching predators. All of a sudden, a group of wyvern flooded the camp site, roaring and encircling the panicked army.

"The were-wyvern is able to control all the wyverns I secretly captured. Why sacrifice our men when we these creatures can do the fighting for us? Arthur and his men wouldn't stand a chance" Anatol said to the crowd.

"You cannot do this Anatol" Morgause argued. "These are magical creatures - they should be respected rather than used as mere tools"

"Then what do you call these men who are fighting your battle? Aren't _you_ using them?"

The blond witch fell silent and her sister took her chance to speak her mind. "I knew I never should have trusted you from the start Anatol. Stop this right now. I am your rightful queen and you will obey me or..."

"Or you'll what, Morgana? You have no power over me..._either _of you" Anatol said, motioning her head to the other witch before looking at the crowd again. "What say you? Join me and know victory will follow or die fighting for Morgana and Morgause?"

The crowd went silent for what seemed like eternity. Finally, a brave soul stepped from the crowd and bowed to one knee, his right hand balled into a fist placed above his heart.

"I fight for _us_. I fight for Anatol"

* * *

Prince Arthur was confused. One moment, he and half the guards were bracing the gates and the next, the enemy just gave up. It didn't make sense one bit. Hell, if he was the enemy, he would've continued with the attack...so why stop now?

"Leon, what's going on?" he asked.

"Sire, the army is retreating to the forest. It seems that they've just given up"

"No, something's wrong. I know Morgana and she _never_ gives up"

"What do you want us to do Sire?" one of the guards who was previously barricading the door asked.

"Secure the gates. I don't know what Morgana's planning, but it can't be good and I won't take any chances. Nothing gets in here" he said out the last part out loud to his men.

Everyone went to work immediately. There was a good fifteen minutes of silence until a roar rang through the whole castle.

"What the hell was that?" Gwaine asked.

"Leon?" Arthur asked looking up at the older knight.

"I can't see anything Sire...wait, it looks like some sort of _black cloud_ is approaching"

"A black cloud?" the prince said to himself before quickly running to stand next to Sir Leon on one of the shorter ramparts. Indeed, there was what looked like a 'black cloud' heading their way from the forest but something felt wrong. There was no other cloud in sight and the weather didn't hint that it was going to rain. On top of it, the 'cloud' was approaching quickly...too quickly to be normal.

All of sudden, the cloud seemed to disintegrate into smaller, shapely chunks that spread in the sky. It wasn't until they moved closer that the prince noticed the all too familiar red eyes piercing the night sky.

"That's not a cloud Leon," Arthur said, slowly backing himself and his knight away from the edge, "those are..."

"Wyverns!" a knight yelled. Immediately, the cousins of the dragons swooped down and began attacking the knights before flying back into the air.

"Archers, aim for the sky" Arthur yelled while running back to the ground level. A wyvern snatched a young knight and began taking off but was stopped by a dagger in the chest. After falling to the ground with a loud _thump_, the knight looked and nodded his thanks to the young prince. After finally making it to ground level, Leon and Arthur began fighting their way to the other Round Table Knights.

"Princess, so nice you can join us" Gwaine said before slashing at the neck of the sixth wyvern he'd fought.

"Manners Gwaine? It suits you" Elyan said before blocking a claw aimed for his chest.

"I don't think this is really the time guys" Lancelot interjected.

"What are your orders Arthur?" Percival asked.

"We need to fall back and rethink our strategy" Arthur said. "Fall back!" he yelled above the noise of battle.

Not being needed to be told twice, Camelot's army retreated. While Arthur and his knights were trying to retreat, the wyverns began circling them from the ground and in the air, creating what looked like a three-dimensional sphere around the group.

"This isn't good" Gwaine stated as the circle of angry wyverns closed around them.

"Tell us something we don't know" Lancelot said.

A blood-curdling roar suddenly reverberated against the stone walls. The wyverns, strangely enough, stopped their attack and, whether in the air or on the ground, backed away from the prince and his knights.

Before anyone could question the action (or what the hell made that roar), a black figure emerged from the forest and dramatically landed in front of the prince. Arthur and Lancelot's eyes widened in horror as the familiar black wings folded itself against an even blacker body, its white eyes glowing eerily in the late night.

"Arthur, that can't be..."

"Yes Gwaine..._that's_ Merlin"

* * *

**Spell Translation**

_**Astrice**_** - Strike severely**

**Yep, Merlin and Arthur will fight again but this time, something interesting will happen. I guess you guys will just have to wait and see (laughs maniacally).**

**For those of you who noticed, yes I did take the 'black cloud' reference from Lord of the Rings (**_**The Fellowship of the Ring)**_** when the black cloud of birds approaches the group to spy on them for Saruman. I just couldn't help it with the new Hobbit movie coming out (squeals in excitement). XD**

**Also, I've just realized that next Saturday it the Season 5 premier for Merlin (squeals again), so I'll probably update this Sunday instead of Monday. Please review and share your ideas on how this will end or what will happen next.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	25. When Past and Present Meet

**First off, when I read the reviews, I had two reactions.**

**The first was something like this - :O - due to the reviews and support you guys sent my way. The second was more like this - :[ - because I realized that I had foolishly believed the internet when it told me before that the Season 5 premier was September 29th. Upon realizing that a) I didn't have to rush updating this story and b) the wait is going to be extended another week, I screamed in frustration (takes deep breath).**

**Sorry everyone for the mis-information about season 5 (sobs in distress). I can't wait for it to come out, but now I'm going to have to wait longer than expected.**

**Thanks to: brynerose, Tolleren, TheReinbachDragonlord, Boxerbee, Starkid191, .27, TeganL74, and Revenge of the Red Pen for reviewing. I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy reading it. The majority of this chapter is focused on Merlin.**

**Disclaimer: IDOM**

* * *

**Chapter 24 - When Past and Present Meet**

The snarling were-wyvern took a bold step towards the group, fully taking advantage of its bigger frame to make it appear more menacing. For a moment, the world stopped moving. The knights almost couldn't believe it - Merlin _was_ a were-wyvern! And now they would have to fight their best friend to the death.

_Merlin, what did they do to you?_ Arthur was besides himself. Last time his friend lost control, he gathered the strength to regain it back. But now, the prince couldn't even recognize him anymore. Without warning, the were-wyvern roared and the wyverns began their attack on the many knights and soldiers who didn't make it to the safety of the castle in time.

The battle was nothing short of crazy as Camelot's army was dispersed throughout the area. The Round Table knights gathered in a circle in the center, relying on each other for defense. Attacking was out of the question as the wyverns attacked from the ground and above. Percival and Leon were both sporting cuts on their arms, Gwaine had a nasty shallow cut down his leg, and Elyan and Lancelot only had a couple bruises. Arthur, who was the least wounded, was doing all he could to protect his men but as the battle continued, it was seeming hopeless.

_No! I can't give up...not when Merlin still needs our help._

At the thought of his friend, the prince's eyes traveled to were-wyvern. It just stood in the same place, its eyes borrowing into Arthur's soul. Unfortunately, in the time he took to meet his cursed friend's piercing glare, the wyverns had managed to separate him from the other knights.

"Arthur!"

Leon's voice jolted him from his daze. Turning around, his eyes widened to find that his comrades were not by his side but a few yards away. Before he could rush to their aid, a deep growl caused him to turn around.

The were-wyvern slowly began its advance to the prince, its breath visible in the cold night air. Arthur gulped at the imminent battle. He was going to have to face his best friend for the final time.

* * *

"Merlin, fight it!" Arthur said before barely deflecting another strike with his sword. Merlin didn't even flinch at the sound of his name but only seemed to further his attack.

"Come on Merlin. You're my best friend, my _brother_. We shouldn't be fighting" but Arthur's plea fell on deaf ears. The were-wyvern kept attacking, disregarding anything he said. The prince looked behind to realize that he was completely separated from the others by a wall of wyverns and he knew that there wasn't even a chance that they could come to his aid if he needed them.

He was, in every sense of the word, truly alone.

_Slash_

The were-wyvern struck again, its claws skimming Arthur's blade and creating sparks that singed the hairs on his face. He countered with a swipe of his sword, but the creature dodged the blow and slammed into the prince, forcing him back a few feet and causing him to take a second to regain his footing. Unfortunately for him, the were-wyvern took advantage and looped its tail around Arthur's leg. Before he knew it, Arthur's sword fell to the ground as he was flung through the air and pounded into the ground a couple of times before being tossed aside further away from the knights.

Arthur was dazed, his head pounding from the rough movement. He vaguely was aware of his name being called above the noise of the wyverns and clashing of swords. Faint but heavy clawed footsteps made their way over to him, each step seeming like a clap of thunder to his already throbbing mind. The black form of the were-wyvern loomed over the prince...

There was nothing he could do now.

* * *

_"NO!"_

He tugged on his chains again, trying to get his magic to release him from this living nightmare. Ever since the sorceress had trapped him in his subconscious, the cursed warlock had been forced to helplessly watch everything through the were-wyvern's eyes - and right now, Arthur was in trouble.

"Let me go!" He pulled on his chains and in response they tightened around his wrists, creating dark painful circles on the skin...but he didn't care. He couldn't just sit back, watch and do nothing as he was about to kill his best friend.

"Let me go!" No, he had to do something - anything - to stop this. The manacles dug deeper into his skin, burning his wrists as he tugged futilely. He looked up at the reflective ice that served as his window to the outside world, only to see that he - the were-wyvern - was getting closer to the prince. Arthur began backing away on the ground, trying to get as much distance as he could from the black beast. The prince pleaded with his friend but like before, they fell on deaf ears.

"Arthur!" And now, the were-wyvern stood over the prince, cornering him against the farthest wall. The knights couldn't help him now. Weaponless, Arthur became still, gazing into the white eyes of his cursed friend and accepting his fate.

Merlin turned his head downward. _"Please"_ the warlock said, head bowed. "_Please, _someone just let me go" he whispered to the darkness of his mind. No-one answered...but it didn't matter now. Everyone was going to die. Gaius, Gwen, Lancelot, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Elyan, Arthur - all of Camelot was going to suffer because of him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He had failed Albion, he had failed his destiny, he had failed Arthur...

"So, you're Emrys. I didn't expect you to be so young"

Merlin's eyes shot open. Looking around him, he couldn't see anyone. He cautiously looked at the ice-like window in front to see if anything happened. Nothing happen - which startled the warlock even more. Time seemed to stop in the outside world.

"Hello. Is anyone there?"

Silence.

"That's the problem with you young people. You move through life too fast and end up missing what's right in front of you"

Merlin looked around again, but he still couldn't see anything. The voice sounded like it was coming from in front of him but that was impossible.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Right here". The warlock looked at the ice window and immediately, a long crack ran through it. More followed until it shattered to pieces on the ground and a cloaked man came from behind, his outstretched hand falling back to his side and his golden eyes returning to their normal color.

"Who are you?"

"Well Emrys, it's a honor to meet your acquaintance" He paused.

_"My name is Sawol"_

* * *

Merlin found his mouth hanging in disbelief. He would add this to his 'should've seen this coming' list he had mentally formed ever since he arrived in Camelot. _This_ was Sawol, the man who was ultimately responsible for everything that happened to him regarding the curse. The man who started it all. He looked at him - one of the most powerful warlocks ever to live - in shock. The young warlock had envisioned him to be this old, bitter, ragged looking man capable of destroying everything in his path but instead, all he saw was...

"I know. Looks are deceiving. Even though what you're picturing me looking like is a bit stereotypical, don't you think?" Sawol said in matter-of-fact tone.

"How did you..."

"Know what you were thinking?" Merlin shook his head. "Well Emrys, we're in your subconscious, if you haven't noticed. Your thoughts and memories are an open book here"

Merlin half-grinned at the older man's sarcastic words. This was definitely not what he pictured Sawol as. The older warlock had long black hair, about the length of Gwaine's hair, and deep hazel eyes. His short beard had streaks of gray running through it. His brown trousers and deep blue tunic made him almost blend in with his black cloak which had an ancient white tree embroidered on it. Altogether, he didn't look special at all.

And yet, his posture, the way he walked, the way he spoke...he did all these things with authority and power. There was no doubt in Merlin's mind that this man was in fact Sawol, one of the greatest warlock to ever live.

"You're not what I expected" the cursed warlock said.

"And neither are you. Like I said, I didn't realize you would be _this _young"

"How are you..."

"Here? In your subconscious?" Sawol offered, finishing Merlin's sentence.

"Can you stop doing that?"

"Sorry" he said before clearing his throat. "So, how am I here? Well, to tell you the truth, I've been here the whole time. You've just been too busy with _'stop the were-wyvern'_ and, I believe you phrased it, _'protect the prat' _to notice my presence." Sawol smiled when Merlin blushed at the nickname he had given for the prince.

"Why are you here now?"

"Merlin. It is when we are at our lowest that we are more open, more _aware_, of our surroundings and it is then that the answers we seek lie open before us". Merlin lowered his head, not wanting to acknowledge the truth behind the older man's words. "And besides, _you_ asked for help if I'm not mistaken"

"Then you'll help me get out of here?" the warlock asked, raising his head.

"Yes and no. I can't actually break these chains" he said while lightly giving them a tug, "but _you _can"

Merlin's eyes, which were so full of hope a moment ago, lowered to the ground before he sighed deeply. "Then I can't get out. I've tried everything but I just...can't. It's useless"

A moment of silence passed before an amused snort came from the older man's direction. Folding his arms, he leaned slightly back and addressed his younger companion. "I've been watching you ever since you've been cursed and I've gotten a chance to peruse through your memories"

"Then you know that my past is full of mistakes. I've done so much wrong in my life, I..."

"True" a slight pause "but no-one is perfect and this is exactly how I knew you were Emrys. For one so young, you have been through a lot. Hardships, loss, self-loathing, difficult choices, love - and yet you still remained good after all of that. Braver men have coward-away from such obstacles but you chose to do what was right and take responsibility for your actions, all for the sake of your friends and family... And, I fear, that was _my_ undoing"

Merlin raised his head to meet Sawol's gaze once again. "What do you mean?"

The older warlock let out a deep sigh. "Well, when I was young I was brought up with the legendary tales of the Emrys and how he would free magic. The prophesies spoke of a time of peace, prosperity, love, and above all respect - a time when all magical and non-magical beings would be free and live harmoniously together. Everyone dreamed of that day to come and the adults in my clan, as I would later come to find out, laid that burden on me"

"As you know, I'm a warlock. My magic, like yours, showed up when I was but an infant and because of this, everyone assumed me to be Emrys and my magical studies began at an early age and were very rigorous. I spent long hours studying at first, but since I was a fast learner - my magic being instinctual and all - before long, I had every form of magic known to the druids mastered. I didn't need anyone's help. In a short amount of time, I was able to surpass all of my teachers who had drilled all their hopes and expectations into me"

"I grew prideful. I just didn't think, but I _knew _that I was the most powerful one amongst the elders and my peers" Sawol took a moment to gather his thoughts while Merlin just stared at the older man with pity in his eyes.

"I remember the day the druid leaders announced that I wasn't the Emrys of legends. I felt like a disappointment to my people. My whole life had been devoted to mastering every aspect of magic so that I would become the savior for the druids. And then when they announced it, life for everyone else just went on...as if it made no difference to them. And that hurt most of all. I lashed out the only way I knew, with the very thing they had made me into"

"When they took my magic away, it felt like they had taken away who I was. Magic had become so part of my life that without it, I was nothing". At this, Merlin looked down, knowing the feeling of losing your magic while trying to contemplate what it would feel like to lose it for good. "I _was _nothing and having no-one to go to, no friends to talk to or rely on, no family to comfort me in my distress, I turned to the one thing that, even remotely, made me feel the link I had to my magic and...well the rest is history"

Another moment of tense silence.

"Merlin" the warlock in question looked up at Sawol, only now noticing his worn, tired features. "You who were raised as a lowly peasant, who since a young age knew what it meant to struggle all your life. You, who were taught equality and that all life deserved to be shown kindness - you have an advantage I never, in all my years of study, had"

Merlin cocked his head in confusion and Sawol's mouth twitched upwards in a slight grin, as if the answer was so simple.

"Friends"

"In all my life, I had never wanted or needed a friend to confide in" The older man stared at the chained warlock, his presence making his next words even more profound. "Do not underestimate the power a close friendship has. Not even dark magic can fully undo its powerful bond and the bond you have with Arthur is indeed strong and has been written since the dawn of time"

"So then, how do I...?" Merlin began to ask, the answer almost within his grasp.

Sawol stood up straight, making him look like the all-powerful warlock he once was. His eyes flashed a deep gold, its color contrasting with the darkness of Merlin's subconscious. All of a sudden, the darkness began to dispel leaving a pure white in its wake. A crowd of people formed behind the older man - men and women, old and young, magic and non-magic alike - each bearing _one _black wound on some part of their body that visibly stood out. The young warlock gasped in understanding and before he could say anything, the older warlock nodded as if reading his mind (which he probably was doing anyway).

"Unlike all of us here, the _past_ were-wyvernsgathered behind me, you have everything you need to break free. For it is not your magic that will release you from your prison but it is your own power, the power you as _Merlin_ possess, that will be your salvation. All you have to do is _listen._ Listen and you will hear them. Your friends are fighting for you Merlin. Even now, their hearts are all focused on saving you, no matter how great the odds are against them. They would give their lives for you as you have for them"

Merlin closed his eyes. He could see his friends, all of them smiling and all ready to help. And he listened...listened for their silent prayers, listened to their desires to help, listened to their words of encouragement, listened to their powerful words of the heart.

_-'Be safe Merlin.'_

_-'You can do it my boy!'_

_-'Don't give up Merlin!'_

_-'We're here for you!'_

_-'We're not giving up on you!'_

_-'Be strong Merlin!'_

_-'I believe in you Merlin!'_

He listened and latched on to them, the words becoming a bright light that covered his restraints and began choking the energy out of them. The chains on his wrists began to crack.

"Feel their love Merlin, feel their strength!" Sawol commanded.

_-'__**Fight**__ it Merlin!'_

At those ever faithful words, the crowd of past were-wyverns, including Sawol, all raised their hands to the warlock. Without saying a word, their eyes flashed a brilliant white and in what could only be described as an explosion, the manacles that held him down shattered into thousands of black particles.

Picking himself off from the ground, Merlin turned to look at the crowd that had helped him escape, each person sending him an encouraging smile before turning their backs to him and fading away. Sawol was the last and before he was gone, both warlocks, whose names would surely be remembered and marked in the pages of history, shared a knowing look.

"Remember Merlin, there is always hope" he said before completely fading out of existence, forever to finally rest in peace.

"Thank you" the warlock said with a smile. A door appeared in front of him. _My way out. _With no worries and no fear, he moved and opened its wooden doors.

Never had he seen such a more brilliant light.

_*********************Break******************_

**I enjoyed writing this chapter, although it took me a while to do it. I hope you enjoyed it and the battle continues next chapter. Also, I am sad to say that this story is close to its end. Very close, as in 'two-or-three-more-chapters-left-to-go' close.**

**I have to give credit to the last episode of _Avatar: The Legend of Korra _when Sawol tells Merlin the 'we are more open when we are at our lowest' part. If anyone saw the season finale for the series, then they (hopefully) know what I'm referring to.**

**Please review and tell me what you think. I don't what day I'll specifically update, but it'll be sometime this week. Just stay tuned. :)**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	26. Were-Wyvern

**Thank you: TheReinbachDragonlord, Tolleren, TeganL74, Revenge of the Red Pen, Starkid191, .127, brynerose, and Boxerbee for your reviews. Your support has inspired me to keep writing.**

**...I don't know what to say exactly. There's lots of whump, BAMF, and bromance all wrapped up in this chapter. I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: IDOM**

* * *

**Chapter 25 - Were-Wyvern**

Arthur was dead.

Okay, well that was a slight exaggeration but death was on the young prince's mind. With no weapon and nobody by his side, his fate was sealed. The were-wyvern was looming over him, its massive form casting a dark shadow and blocking out the moon's radiant light. With every step the beast took, the prince pushed himself back, trying to create as much distance as he could in order to get out of there safely. To his dismay, Arthur eventually found himself trapped between the edge of the wall and his best friend's malicious presence.

"Fight it Merlin!" Arthur yelled as the beast stood on its hind legs. In response, the were-wyvern slammed against him, pinning him harshly to the cold stone ground by his shoulders.

"Sire!"

"No!"

"Arthur!"

His friends desperate pleas resounded in his throbbing head on top of the noise of battle. His heart sped up and blood rushed to his ears. This was the end and the prince knew it. Arthur gazed once more on Merlin's bestial face, begging him to stop. Not because he didn't want to die - not that he would complain if he didn't - but because he knew that Merlin would never forgive himself if he knew that the prince's blood had been on his hands. Arthur was so deep in thought, that he failed to see the gold that tinted his friend's white eyes.

He didn't bother struggling - he had been through this before but last time, the Great Dragon had been the one to save him. The prince, refusing to close his eyes and meet his death face on, watched as the were-wyvern bent its neck over Arthur's right shoulder, the same shoulder Merlin had been bitten. He waited bravely for the pain and after what seemed like eternity, he felt the cold scales of the beast brush against the side of his head.

_This is it. I'm sorry Merlin. I should've been there for you._

Absolute silence.

_"I told you Arthur... I will always protect you or die at your side"_

* * *

Morgana and Morgause were _not _amused in the slightest. They had been betrayed (guess it runs in the family) by their own kind and were now trapped in a make-shift prison, tied to the trunk of an old tree and their magic bound by runes carved in the earth around them. Moments ago, Anatol had just sent a good portion of the army to 'witness the destruction of Camelot' by the wyverns, leaving a few sorcerers to guard the prisoners. Now with the were-wyvern gone to join the battle, the sisters were left alone with the traitor.

"I really do hope you're enjoying your stay"

Morgana glared at Anatol. She knew she shouldn't have trusted her.

"The silent treatment. I must say Morgana, I didn't know you could go so long with running your mouth off. I swear, you must like the sound of your own voice"

Before the young witch could protest against the statement (she didn't talk _that_ much), a bitter and angry voice beat her to the punch.

"Why have you betrayed us Anatol? I thought we were friends"

The red-haired sorceress dramatically paused to think about the question, obviously knowing the answer but wanting to tease her captives. "We _were _friends Morgause. I haven't seen you in years and when you _do _call for my assistance - which I very busy stealing transcripts of forbidden magic when you called, I have you know - you only did it to take advantage of my infinite knowledge of curses. And then your _sister_ has to be a spoiled-brat witch who, though she can only perform a minute amount of magic, criticizes everything I do" Anatol paused to catch her breath after ranting. "All in all, I just opened my eyes to the truth. Why do I need you two when I hold all the power? And even if another kingdom were to challenge me, they would stand no chance now that I have the were-wyvern. With its power, nothing can stop me"

"You're a fool and a coward Anatol! Stop hiding and face us with your _own _power" Morgana yelled.

Before she could respond, a throbbing pain echoed in her head. She recognized the sensation, but this time it was stronger and more fierce. Closing her eyes, Anatol quickly connected her mind to that of the were-wyverns. Instead of sensing the darkness that shrouded every corner of Merlin's lost mind, a bright light powered through, causing the red-haired sorceress to take a couple of faltering steps back.

_This can't be. No-one has __**ever **__broken free._

Morgause, seeing the distress look on her ex-friend's face and knowing the only thing that would worry her at the moment, smiled maliciously before saying, "What's wrong Anatol? Losing the battle of wills already?" The message was vague but it hit the nail on the head.

Turning around, refusing to make eye-contact, Anatol left the two sisters. "I'm going to see how Camelot's army is fairing" she told the second-in-command. "Watch the prisoners" and with a flash of gold, she transported herself in a whirlwind.

As three men came into view to guard the prisoners, Morgause found herself grinning. If things were going the way she suspected they were, then she and her sister would be out soon enough.

* * *

"Merlin?!" Arthur asked before shifting himself in order to stare up at his friend. The were-wyvern grinned at him, confirming what the prince knew to be true.

"Merlin!" he shouted before picking himself up from the ground and awkwardly hugging his friend. Merlin bent his neck over his friend's shoulder before ruining the moment by saying, _"Wow! The Prince of Camelot has a heart. I'm deeply touched Arthur. Really, I am. But Gwen might get jealous"_

Sure enough, as if somehow burned, Arthur immediately detached himself from the were-wyvern. The prince looked like he was about to reprimand his manservant but when he met his friend's white eyes, his gaze softened and worry and relief, all rolled into one, showed itself on his youthful face.

"I'm glad to have you back Merlin". The cursed warlock didn't respond, but nodded his head in agreement. "I thought you were..."

_"Arthur. I'm not going anywhere. I promise"_

"Darn it Merlin, I thought you were gone for good! And there was nothing I could do to save you". Arthur bent his head to avoid Merlin's gaze. He felt a small dampness filled the corner of his eyes. "I'm sorry Merlin. If I hadn't left you behind...if I didn't let the were-wyvern attack you, then you wouldn't be in this situation." he said through cascading tears, the weight of the situation finally hitting him like a stone wall. Merlin was touched by his friend's words and he knew, with all his heart, that Arthur meant every word.

After all, he wouldn't be here without them.

"I'm so sorry" the prince choked out, a tear or two sliding down his checks.

A moment of silence.

_"And you call me a girl" _the warlock mumbled loud enough for the prince to hear.

Arthur chuckled. "I'm _trying_ to apologize here, _Mer_lin" he complained weakly before wiping his eyes with one hand and swatted his friend's scaled arm with the other.

_"That's much better. Now, if __**you're**__ done being a girl, then I believe we have more pressing matters at hand"_

Arthur looked around. He had almost forgotten about the wyvern problem he and his knights were having. Speaking of...

"Oh hell! The knights!" he said, looking around for his brothers in arms. It took the glimmer of Sir Percival's sword to finally see his knights huddled practically in the corner, bombarded by the multitude of attacking wyvern. He looked around at the other knights - they weren't doing any better.

"Merlin, we have to do something!" Arthur yelled. Merlin was just about to respond when the sound of many footsteps approached the gates. The enemy's army, instead of attacking, stood back and watched the fighting with a cruel smile plastered on their faces. Both friends didn't bother asking what they were doing. It was clear these men were here just to 'enjoy the show'.

"Merlin, what are we going to do?" Arthur asked motioning to the vast crowd of wyverns.

The were-wyvern contemplated the problem for a moment before a thought suddenly struck. Smirking a toothy-dragon smile, the cursed warlock looked to his friend. _"I have an idea" _he answered. Before Arthur could ask what his plan was, the were-wyvern thrust his head to the night sky and roared. _"__Cymþ mín gebróðor ond ástyntaþ þes __andgietléas __déaþcwealm. Féheþ æt min héafodwóþ. __þ__ú nídriht néadhæs!"_

All the fighting stopped when the boisterous roar of the were-wyvern rang through the area. Though Arthur didn't understand what was being said (and he doubted anyone heard the spell besides him), he recognized that Merlin was speaking in the Old Tongue, but this was different. The voice was deep and guttural, like if it came from the very depths of the earth, and it strangely reminded him of a dragon. An eerie silence descended on the area for a few moments before the wyverns made the first move. To the dismay of the army, the creatures flew to the sky and stayed in the air, waiting for their next command. Camelot's knights and Morgana's army just stared in awe and shock.

The were-wyvern's eyes flashed gold and the wyverns, in sync, swooped to attack. All the Camelotians ducked in a futile attempt to protect themselves from the wyverns renewed wrath... but nothing ever came. When they looked up from their crouched positions, they met a confusing, but not unwanted sight.

The tables were turned! The army was running away as the wyverns began to attack them. Some tried to attack the creatures with little luck. Swords were of little use as they barely dealt any damage and what magic they had was easily dodged with a quick movement to the side. No matter what, the army was done for and they knew it. Running was the only option if they wanted to live. The Camelotians ran to the gates and roared in victory as their foes fled for their lives.

"Merlin, that was brilliant!" Arthur exclaimed. At the sound of his name, the Knights of the Round Table, who were already heading in his direction, quickened their step (almost running), eager to greet their long-lost best friend (as Gwaine so nicely put it).

Everything was all right. The battle was won, Camelot was safe, and...

"NO! What have you done?!"

The angry red-haired sorceress screamed in horror at the sight. All of her men were fleeing from the wyverns while all of Camelot's army cheered at their victory. But what made things ten times worse was the sight of the were-wyvern next to the prince, not dead but very much alive. Immediately and without thinking, Anatol snuck past the crowd of Camelotians and briskly walked towards Arthur.

"You're going to pay for that Merlin."

The were-wyvern and prince, now joined by the knights from the previous night, glared at the witch with an amused smile.

_"It's over Anatol. Give up while you still can"_

At the cursed warlock's words, she lifted her hand towards him and shouted, _''Drýcræft sylfum deorcnes aríseeþ" _and to her dismay, nothing happened. She tried again and again, but still nothing worked. She was powerless against him.

_"That won't work anymore. It's over" _Merlin said.

"Then I'll just have to kill the prince and be done with it" Anatol screamed as she raised both hands towards the group.

"Protect the prince!"

Anatol quickly turned around at the knights currently charging in her direction. After making sure the enemy had left the castle completely, the knights returned to celebrate their victory with Prince Arthur until they saw the witch, hand raised, ready to use magic against their leader.

Anatol mumbled a curse under her breath. None of this was going according to plan and if she returned after failing her men...well, it wouldn't be good. Her best option was to kill the prince quickly or get the heck out of there. Arthur and the Round Table Knights (all brandishing their swords) moved closer to surround the witch as she tried to back away. She was going no-where.

Just when the other knights reached them, something happened that Arthur should've seen coming. The knights split into two groups, one going after Anatol and the other going after...

"Sire, stay back!" a knight yelled, stepping behind Arthur.

S_lash_

The sword swiped and Merlin roared in pain at the shallow cut on his arm. The others began targeting him, pushing the were-wyvern back. Arthur and his Knights shouted for the over-zealous knights to stop, which caused the knights who were attacking Anatol to keep taking short glances behind them to see what the shouting was about. All in all, it was a confusing situation and taking advantage of it, Anatol smiled mischievously before raising both hands.

"_á__hréraþ!"_

Immediately, the crowd was thrown to the sides. The lucky few who didn't hit the stone wall were thrust into their armor-clad brothers. In the end, no-one bothered to get up. Only the were-wyvern was left unaffected. The prince, who was trying to gather his bearings, barely registered the glint of the sorceress' Blood Guard dagger.

"Die Arthur Pendragon!" she hissed. The dagger flew through the air with great speed but to the prince, everything happened in slow motion. A shadow crossed his peripheral vision as his name was shouted by an unknown source. Arthur closed his eyes as he heard the 'squelch' of the dagger digging into flesh. _A fatal blow._

Blood dripped on the ground, its dark color creating a thick pool under the figure. The prince opened his eyes, preparing himself for the pain that would ripple through his body.

It never came.

He looked up and his eyes widened in horror. A painful thought struck the prince as he looked at his savior.

_Merlin…no!_

* * *

Morgana was the first to hear the screaming. Her head shifted to the left and before she knew it, several men were running past her, looking like death was snapping at their heels. Another shriek rang through the camp and a wyvern flew overhead. Morgause and Morgana didn't know what was going on but it was very clear that some part of the traitor's plan went awry. In the midst of the panic, a few men trampled over the runes binding their magic, allowing the sisters to break themselves free.

"What's going on?" Morgana asked.

"I don't know but let's not stay and find out" the blond witch responded as a wyvern scooped up the second-in-command. _Well, he's a goner_, Morgana thought to herself. Morgause grabbed her sister's hand and began incanting her teleportation spell. A couple yards away, a wyvern looking for its next prey saw the two sisters standing idly by. Seeing its opportunity, the wyvern lunged for the kill. The loud shrieking of the wyvern caused Morgana to visibly jump while Morgause just continued to incant faster. As the last words of the spell left her lips (causing a whirlwind to blow around them), the wyvern's sharp talons hit one of its targets.

Morgana and Morgause roughly landed back in their cave. The green-eyed witch, seeing that they had escaped, jumped from her kneeled position. "Morgause, we made it!" she exclaimed, waiting for her sister to join in her praise. It was only when no response was uttered that Morgana closely looked at the only living person she considered family.

Her eye widened in horror as Morgause, still bent over on her knees, was clutching the right side of her face, blood seeping through the gaps her fingers created. Dropping next to her sister, Morgana gently, and with all the tenderness of a mother, helped the blond sorceress to the old cot she was in before. Laying her down, she grabbed the nearest piece of cloth (grudgingly remembering that it was the discarded neckerchief of that meddlesome servant), dunked it into the stream of water that trickled into the cave, and began cleaning her sister's wound.

"Rest now my sister. I'll take care of you and once you are better, we'll make our enemies pay"

Silence was the only thing that responded to Morgana. Bowing her head to hide the tears that threatened to break forth from her eyes, the green-eyed witch looked at her sister before wringing the access water from the neckerchief.

"I promise"

* * *

A painful roar filled the whole area. Merlin took a couple steps back, causing the dagger to shine under the moon's light. It was instinct for him to jump in the way of the dagger to protect his future king – _his friend and brother - _but it didn't mean that the pain hurt any less. He pressed his claw to the wound as if he needed to make sure that everything happening was real and not some twisted dream. He brought it in front and looked at his blood-soaked claw.

Everything was real.

This wasn't a dream.

He staggered back a bit more until he ran into a stunned prince, who was just getting up from the ground. "Merlin…" he whispered, his mind trying to catch up with everything that just happened.

"You're a fool Merlin" Anatol taunted. "How will you break free of your curse if you die? And to think that after everything you two did for each other, it will all be for naught. Tell me though; is the prince _really _worth dying for?"

Merlin shifted his gaze from Arthur to Anatol. With every movement, every breath he took, he felt more and more blood flow out. This was his end, but he sure wasn't going down without a fight. Smiling a toothy-smile and with all confidence, he simply stated, _"Yes"_

"Your actions were in vain then. Your death won't be the prince's salvation – you've only just furthered the length of his demise. You cannot defeat me Merlin. No-one can" she said.

"_That's where you're wrong Anatol"_ the cursed warlock said. _Throb._ His heart beat quickened as it futilely tried replacing the blood it was losing. This was it - his final act to protect those whom he loved.

"_I can"_ he said gritting his teeth in pain. Before Anatol could respond, Merlin threw his head up and faced the night sky. _"__O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!"_

The sorceress' eyes widened in recognition of the dragon tongue (although she didn't understand the words). A chilling shriek pierced the air, coming from the forest. "What have you done?" she yelled.

"_I summoned my kin"_

"Kin? Only the were-wyvern itself can control the other wyvern. You alone shouldn't be able to do anything. How…" she paused when another thought hit her. Sweat falling down the side of her face, she looked at Merlin with a new sense of fear.

"Th…that's impossible. All the Dragonlords are dead!"

"_I'm not just a Dragonlord, Anatol" _he paused to catch his breath._ "I'm __**Emrys**__"_

At the mention of the powerful name, she backed away immediately. "There was no way that you're Emrys. He would never side with the Pendragons" she said, her voice shaking. A black shadow was cast on the ground in front of her and, upon looking up, she noticed a few wyverns were gathering around, like vultures to a carcass.

"_I am Emrys, Anatol, and I warn you; you have threatened me, my home, __**and**__ my family, and your actions won't go without consequence. Leave now while you still can" _By now, more wyverns had joined the flock above, each one awaiting the command of their lord. Hands raised above her head in a sign of surrender, she slowly began backing away.

Arthur, seeing Anatol retreating, made his way to help his friend when the unexpected happened. Merlin, growing ever weaker and thinking that Anatol was peacefully surrendering, let down his guard. Seeing her chance, the red-haired sorceress opened the palm of her hand and said, _"__Ásnæsaþ!"_

The dagger, still lodged in the were-wyvern's chest dug further into the skin. Merlin cried out in pain.

"Merlin!" Arthur screamed as he rushed to his friend's side. When he saw what the dagger was doing, he grabbed the hilt and pulled it with all his might, trying to prevent it from going further in.

"If you want it out so badly, here – let me help" and with a flash of her eyes, the dagger was ruthlessly ripped from Merlin's lightly scaled chest and flung back in her hand. Seizing the moment (and wanting to get away from the wyverns), Anatol began uttering a transportation spell promising herself that she would be back to enact her revenge on Camelot.

Arthur screamed at the witch as the dagger flew back to her ironically-delicate hands. It wasn't because Anatol was getting away - he could care less about her - but the fact that his friend was now bleeding profusely from a hole in his chest (he prayed it wasn't fatal).

His whole body throbbed in pain and the familiar burning-itching sensation crept from under his skin. He looked to his right to see his friend frantically trying to find a way to help. He looked to his left to see the Round Table Knights waking up. He didn't want to die alone, but he wanted to protect them, even if it was from one sorceress so that they could live another day. He would protect his loved ones, _his family, _until his dying breath.

Roaring to his brethren above, Merlin mustered what little strength he had left and launched himself at the red-haired sorceress. He heard a frantic "Stop!" being yelled from behind but he ignored it. _This was the only way_, he thought to himself. Just as he was about to tackle her, Anatol transported herself in a whirlwind, leaving Merlin flying fiercely into the forest outside Camelot's walls. With no strength left, the were-wyvern crashed into the dense trees.

And that's where he stayed to breath his last.

* * *

**Okay, one or two more chapters to go...and I know I'm mean to leave it there for you guys but if I didn't, where would the angst be? :)**

**Spell Translation:**

**Come my brethren and stop this senseless violence. Listen to my voice. You must obey.**

_**D**__**rýcræft sylfum deorcnes aríseeþ - **_**Dark magic arise!**

_**Astrice! - **_**Strike severely!**

_**á**__**hréraþ**_**! - Move!**

_**O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo - **_**I honestly don't know what this literally translates to, but I took it from the series (Season 3 Episode 11 **_**The Sorcerer's Shadow)**_**. All I know is that it summons the dragon. :)**

_**Ásnæsaþ**_** – Stab**

**The last bit with Morgause and Morgana - I was trying to explain in my own way how Morgause got the scar on the right side of her face season 4. I know the producers infer that it was due to the fact that Merlin slammed her into the wall with magic at the end of season 3, but it just doesn't make sense to me how a hit to the head on a stone column could do **_**that **_**to any person...but I digress.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review. I took me a while to write it.**

**Until later,**

**-STL13**


	27. Running Out of Time

**Thanks to: swedenarashifan, IndiaMoore, Tolleren, TeganL74, ric .oola. 127, Starkid191, brynerose, TheReinbachDragonlord, Boxerbee, and Revenge of the Red Pen for your wonderful reviews.**

**It's sad to say but this is the last official chapter. I almost done typing the epilogue and then the story will be over. I hope y'all enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: IDOM**

* * *

**Chapter 26 - Running Out of Time**

The prince was frozen on the spot as the were-wyvern lunged himself at the sorceress. He vaguely registered that he yelled to his best friend to stop, but it was too late. Anatol disappeared, sending the were-wyvern heading for the trees.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, but it was too late.

_Crash!_

_Snap!_

Something heavy hit the forest floor, breaking trees and various plants as it crash landed. Immediately, the wyverns above (he didn't realize they were still there) roared to their fallen Dragonlord and flew away, going past where Merlin probably had fallen.

_Merlin!_

"Merlin" the prince finally voiced his thoughts. There was no time for thinking. Arthur had to find him before...The prince gulped at the thought of Merlin dying or becoming the were-wyvern forever. His friend had done so much for him - he deserved better.

Not wasting another moment, Arthur took off to the forest, not realizing that the Knights of the Round Table were just waking up.

* * *

Lancelot woke up in time to see the prince taking off to the forest, as if the wyverns were hot on his heels. Speaking of which, where had they gone? _That's right, Merlin took control of them and..._Lancelot's train of thought stopped abruptly. Where _was_ Merlin...and the wyverns for that matter?

So deep in thought was the knight, that he failed to hear the rustling of armor as the other Round Table Knights picked themselves up from the ground and made their way towards him.

"Lancelot, what happened? Where's Arthur?"

The knight visibly jumped before looking at Leon and the others closely behind.

"I just woke up to him running to the forest. Wherever he was going, it seemed urgent" Lancelot answered. Something didn't feel right. They had won the battle, so why did it seem like they had lost something..._or someone_. Looking at his comrades, Lancelot guessed they must have felt uneasy too.

"I have a bad feeling gentlemen, and not the 'I'm-hung-over-past-the-normal-humanly-possible-limit' feeling, but something worse" Gwaine interjected.

"Yeah, same here...although - not the hung-over part" Percival added.

There was a moment of silence.

"Let's get the horses and follow Arthur" Leon said, taking command. "If something's wrong, at least we'll be there to lend him our help"

The knights, not questioning the order (it was a miracle that Gwaine didn't comment) rushed to the stables, saddled up, and rode in Arthur's direction, praying that whatever was wrong, they weren't too late.

* * *

Arthur didn't know exactly where he was going, but he was determined to find Merlin. Yes, the signs of a few broken trees and lifted dirt hinted to where his friend was, but _that_ wasn't what found him. No, _something else_ led him in the right direction. Destiny, instincts, _friendship - _he didn't know which but the prince didn't question it.

After what felt like eternity, the prince found his friend and met a gruesome sight.

Bits and pieces of the were-wyvern's skin lay on the ground, shed off and discarded from the person underneath. Unlike last time, these didn't crumble into the air but seemed to be absorbed into the ground, becoming part of the earth. A small trail of blood, probably from being dragged, led to a small, prone form. Merlin, now fully human, lay on the cold dirt, bleeding worse than before. Not realizing the prince was there, he struggled to drag himself through the forest.

The prince ran to his friend, bent down and put his hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him while holding him from injuring himself anymore. The warlock stiffened at the touch.

"Merlin, it's me. I'm here"

"Arthur" he croaked. The prince immediately moved his hand to apply pressure to his friend's wound but, with the amount of blood, he could barely tell where it was. The warlock hissed in pain. "Sorry"

By now, the warlock's chest was rising and falling with great difficulty. Blood continued to flow steadily, despite the prince's attempts to stop it.

Arthur went to inspect the rest of his friend when he noticed the bite wound on his right shoulder. Around it, black root-like veins shot out below the skin to the rest of the body, the skin above cracking as if it were being torn. The worst part wasn't that though. Right on the bite wound, the white of the shoulder bone shown through the rest of the warlock's already pale skin.

The prince paled before remembering the one detail of the curse that disturbed him the most. _'The victim's human body will decay and in its place will be the creature itself...'. _No! Arthur was not going to let his friend die. _"I won't let it happen"_

The prince, angry at the delicate situation he and his friend were put in, absent-mindedly pressed down harder on the wound, causing his friend to groan in pain.

"Sorry"

"Arthur...I'm glad...you're here..." Merlin said through ragged breaths.

"Just stop right now Merlin. I don't want to hear your version of last goodbyes. You're _not _going to die" he said, trying to convince himself as well.

The warlock didn't respond and the prince did what any good friend would do.

_SLAP_

"Arthur!" Merlin half-hissed half-grunted.

"Merlin you need to stay awake, even if it means me slapping you until you're red in the face"

"Arthur...I won't...make it, it'll...be too late...by the time we reach the Lake"

"Not if I can help it" the prince said before scooping his friend and throwing him (gently) over his back. He winced at the chilling moan Merlin let out at the sudden movement. "I don't care if I have to walk all the way there" he said before speed walking in the direction Merlin was dragging himself previously towards.

A couple of minutes into the walk, Arthur had reached a clearing, the same one they had fought the dragon a year and a half ago. A thought struck the prince and, looking over his shoulder, he asked, "Merlin?"

"...Yes..."he croaked.

"Can you summon..."but Arthur didn't get to finish his question for a dark shadow passed over head as the sound of flapping wings came from above. "Merlin, the Great Dragon's here!" he shouted for joy, never thinking that he would ever say those words, before gently laying Merlin on the ground. The warlock softly groaned in pain, eyes tightly closed which caused the prince to frown.

"Merlin. Kilgharrah's here, see" Arthur repeated gently, beckoning his friend to look, anything to get him to open his eyes.

Merlin barely opened them and smiled slightly. "Yeah...I see him" he said before falling unconscious. Arthur, seeing the dragon turning around, didn't notice.

Just as Kilgharrah was about to land, the sound of horse hooves sounded from the forest outside the clearing. Arthur whipped around and a moment later, the knights came charging in, heading straight for the prince. Their horses panicked at the sight of the Great Dragon, almost throwing off their riders.

The knights (aside from Lancelot) hadn't met the dragon before. Sure, Leon faced it a year and a half ago but he was attacking Camelot back then. Granted, all of them knew he was on their side, but it was still unnerving. Gwaine was the first to recover from the shock of seeing the dragon for the first time and calming his horse, he led it to Arthur and Merlin. Everyone followed suit.

Gwaine was about to make a surly retort to the prince, but the sight of a bloodied Merlin shut him up.

"What happened?!" Lancelot asked.

"The young warlock is dying" Kilgharrah answered solemnly, shocking all but Arthur and Lancelot. "His wounds are severe and the last part of the curse is already beginning to take effect" the Great Dragon said, already noticing the decaying flesh sprouting from Merlin's shoulder. "If he does not break his curse before the sun sets, then he will die one way or another"

"The Lake of Avalon is a few hours ride. You'll never make it in time" Lancelot said. Gwaine glared at him for the comment, no matter how true it was. Arthur, seeing that the sun would rise in an hour or so and knowing full well the truth behind the knight's words, looked up at his last hope.

"Please, I need to get him to the Lake of Avalon. It's the only way. Can you take us there Kilgharrah?"

"For my Dragonlord _and_ King, I will". With that, the Great Dragon bowed his head before reaching down to grab the prince and the warlock. Arthur stiffened as the scaled claw wrapped around his torso. He'd never been picked up before - the feeling was awkward to say the least and he blushed fiercely. Upon glancing at his friend, the prince paled in fear. Merlin's breathing had become shallow and worst of all, the boy was unconscious. Swearing under his breath, he saw Kilgharrah gently pick up his kin before standing on his haunches and thrusting himself to the sky.

Before he was out of hearing distance, Lancelot called up to Arthur. "Merlin showed me where the Lake of Avalon was before. We'll meet you there" he said. Steering his horse in the same direction as the dragon, the knight led the way and raced out of the clearing. The others, making no objections, followed Lancelot. All of them were going to be there for their friend.

That was a promise.

* * *

She did it. Anatol had escaped Camelot to see another day. Now all she had to do was plot her revenge. _But how?..._

To be perfectly honest, the red-haired sorceress feared for her life back there. Remembering how she had just barely teleported herself in time to miss getting hit by the were-wyvern, Anatol sighed, part in relief and the rest from the adrenaline rush that was subsiding.

_The were-wyvern._

She was having mixed emotions when it came to Merlin. That meddlesome servant was a Dragonlord _and_ Emrys_._ The news had shocked her at first, but now she was angry. How many of her kind had he allowed to die by Uther's hands? How many times had he protected the Pendragons, those _monsters _who would see him killed in the blink of an eye? And what made her angrier was the fact that she wouldn't be there to see his demise, for surely with the wounds he'd sustained, he was definitely knocking on death's door.

_Gods, was this how Morgana felt?_

Realizing she needed to find shelter and rest, the exhausted sorceress trudged through the forest.

_"Where are you going Anatol?"_

The sorceress whipped around to see no-one in sight. Something wasn't right. That voice was as clear as day and yet...

_"Why do you flee?"_

Her breathing became ragged at the unsettling voice. Anatol didn't recognize the voice and yet it seemed vaguely familiar. The red-haired sorceress backed away in fear from the unseen presence that had joined her lonely company. She had to get away. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't...

_"You meddle with things you do not understand and you fear what you cannot comprehend."_

Anatol quickened her pace.

_"For what you have done, you will pay dearly"_

Her pace turned into a run.

_"Did you __**really **__think you could try to control the were-wyvern without consequence?"_

Sprinting through the forest, the sorceress pushed herself by tree and bush, using their sturdy frame to propel herself forward. With every snap of a twig and every rustle of a shrub, Anatol's fear grew and grew, eating away at her heart.

_"You cannot escape"_

Tripping over a rock, she skidded to her knees. Her breath became thick and ragged, the night air enclosed around her. Anatol clutched her pounding head as blood rushed to her ears.

_"You __**will**__ die"_

"Who are you?!" she cried out.

All was silent until a chilling laughter rang through, freezing the blood that coursed through her veins. Her eyes frantically searched for the source of the taunting voice, only to find that she was in the middle of a grassy field.

That's when she heard it - the steady flapping of wings.

No... make that the steady flapping of _multiple_ pairs of wings.

Turning to the night sky, her eyes widened in horror upon seeing the multitude of wyvern. Without a second thought, she took off back towards the forest edge, hoping the trees would be a suitable refuge from the distant cousins of the dragon.

But she never made it.

Just as she touched the textured bark of a tree, something sharp tore into her leg and, falling to the ground, she was roughly dragged back and tossed towards the middle of the clearing. Staggering to her feet and disregarding the throbbing pain in her leg, Anatol pulled out her Blood Guard daggers.

The wyverns surrounded her, snarling and hissing and _taunting _her. Anatol stood there for a moment, frozen in fear when a thought suddenly struck. Raising her hand, she yelled _"Astrice!"_, hoping that she would forcibly make a path to her freedom.

To her dismay, nothing happened. Instead, the chilling voice from before rose from the crowd of wyverns. Suddenly, the smaller dragons stepped out of the way to let one of their own through. Anatol's eyes widened in terror when she saw the black wyvern whose white eyes and bigger frame made it stand above the rest.

"Th...that...that's not possible" she stuttered. An eerie silence fell. The grass swayed as a gentle breeze flew through the field.

_"Oh, but it is Anatol. This is all your doing"_

"...Emrys?..." she asked hesitantly.

_"No...Sawol"_

Her breath caught in her throat. _No, this can't be happening!_

_"But it is Anatol. For what you have unleashed, you will pay dearly. There was a reason that this curse was hidden away but you, like all the others who thought they could control the curse, sought this power without understanding the consequences. For your ignorance and pride, you will pay"_

"Please, no. I didn't mean to..." she pleaded.

Ignoring her, Sawol continued, pointing a sharp talon at the trembling sorceress. _"Now, prepare to face the same fate of those who came before you"_

Anatol began backing away from the powerful were-wyvern, forgetting the other wyverns behind her until a sharp claw sliced her back.

"Ah!" she yelled as she staggered back to the center. Another wyvern charged at her and, gritting her teeth through the pain, she raised her hand and shouted a spell. Like before, nothing happened, leaving the wyvern wide open to slice her leg. Falling to her knee, she didn't have time to register the pain radiating from her leg when something struck her side...and her shoulder...and her stomach...and her head.

Anatol laid on the ground, blood trickling from the various wounds that had been inflicted on her, as the wyverns closed the circle they had trapped her in. She couldn't even muster the strength to lift her head so when the were-wyvern approached, her eyes moved upward to face its piercing white gaze.

_"Die" _the pitiless voice resounded in her head while white eyes flashed gold.

Immediately, a burning sensation engulfed her whole being. She cried out to no-one in particular. It was as if someone was pouring acid on her body. Writhing in pain, Anatol felt her bones tearing and muscles contracting. Within a couple minutes, the pain reached its climax and she knew no more.

And she never would, ever again.

The wyverns, including Sawol, all stepped back to look at his handy work. Struggling to its feet, a grey wyvern rose from the ground. It cocked its head in confusion, wondering what it was doing away from her home. Her grey scales and deep red eyes both glistened in the moon's radiant light. Her kin greeted her as one of their own and together, they flew away to the Perilous Lands.

Never would this new wyvern know who she once was.

Only one wyvern - the were-wyvern - stayed behind. Turning around, he transformed back to his human form and walked towards the trees. Sawol smiled. He had finally made amends for his wrong doings all those years ago. Before he made it to the tree line, he vanished into nothing to finally and forever rest in peace.

A blinding light shone in the night sky.

Now, Avalon awaited him.

* * *

Arthur was terrified. Sure, Merlin had flown him from the castle the other day but at least he could still see the ground. With Kilgharrah being supposedly dead, it meant that he couldn't afford being seen thus why the young prince now looked at the clouds passing by in terror.

However, his fear for his own life did not compare to the fear he felt for Merlin's. The warlock had not once, throughout the flight, woken up despite the biting cold air that this altitude had to offer. The prince, watching the sun's distant light peeking from the clouds behind, prayed to whatever deity that they would make it in time.

"Kilgharrah, you have to hurry!" he yelled to the dragon urgently.

"I told you already _Pendragon_ that I am going as fast as I can. You pestering me about it won't make the journey any quicker" Kilgharrah growled. This was the eighth time that Arthur had asked the Great Dragon to quicken his pace (or flight in this case) and after the third one, the dragon was starting to get annoyed.

"But Kilgharrah, he's not…"

"I know" he snapped at the prince. "Do not for once think that I do not know the severity of the situation or fail to hear the distress of my kin"

The prince dropped his head guiltily. "Forgive me Kilgharrah. It's just…I'm so worried about him. To see him like this…" he trailed off.

Kilgharrah's eyes softened. He may not understand the human mind, but he knew the Once and Future King was just concerned for his friend. The Great Dragon offered a comforting smile. _Two sides of the same coin indeed._

The pair stayed in silence for a while until the prince felt himself descending. Looking up at the dragon, Arthur was about to make the most obvious comment when Kilgharrah beat him to it.

"We're here"

The prince's face lit with excitement at those words. Looking past the scaled claw that held him tightly around his torso, the prince gazed with wonder at the crystal clear lake. _The Lake of Avalon….it's magnificent, _Arthur thought in awe. His train of thought was cut short when Kilgharrah, swooped down and moved his claw, the one holding Arthur, towards the ground while trying to land. The prince was about to ask what he was doing until the pressure around his waist suddenly vanished, causing him to reunite himself, face first, with the ground.

_Umph!_

Groaning a swear (about inconsiderate Dragons) under his breath, the Prince of Camelot, in all his glory, picked himself up with dignity and grace…before losing his balance and falling again. Hearing a loud _thud, _Arthur turned to see the Great Dragon landing, carefully placing Merlin on the wet grass. With all haste, the prince shot up and ran to his friend.

"Merlin" he called when he stood in front of him. "Wake up"

The unconscious warlock stayed asleep, worrying the prince and the dragon greatly. Looking at his right shoulder, the prince found, to his horror, that the black veins had spread to the top part of his arm and to the bottom of his neck, leaving small patches of bone showing through the skin. Bending down, Arthur quickly slipped his left hand under his knees and the other he used to cradle his head and pushed himself up. Shaking his right hand, the prince shook his friend, causing Merlin's head to slightly bobble up and down.

"Merlin we're here. You have to wake up"

This time, the warlock softly groaned before his eyes fluttered open. Bleary blue eyes pierced the dawning day, searching for the sound that was calling him.

"Arthur?" he whispered hoarsely.

The prince sighed in relief. "Of course it's me you idiot"

Merlin chuckled slightly at the insult, careful not to overdo it. He closed his eyes and gave a small smile when he saw the clear white mountains and the beautiful lake where he had laid his beloved to rest. Arthur noticed his friend's gaze but panicked. A small stream of light was hitting The Lake of Avalon. Whipping around, he saw that the sun was beginning to rise. Panicking, he ran to the Lake's shore, wincing with every slight moan and hiss Merlin made as his wounds were jostled.

The prince stood at the Lake's shore. "Hello?"

Silence.

"Please, I need your help"

The sound of the water slowly moving in the lake was the only greeting that the prince received. Not wasting another minute, Arthur placed Merlin gently on the shore, an arm's length from touching the shallow part of the water, before running in himself. When he was about knee deep, he tried again.

"If you can hear me, Freya _please - _Merlin needs you". When no-one answered, the prince felt tears prickling his eyes, daring to rush out but he shook them away. Darn it, he was a prince – the bloody Prince of Camelot – and he did not come all this way for his best friend to die. So absorbed in thought was the prince that he failed to hear the movement of something on the water behind him.

* * *

Merlin was so tired. His whole body ached, especially around his right shoulder. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he promised Arthur that he wouldn't. _Or was it the last time I was in this predicament?_ Mentally shrugging his shoulders (he was in too much pain to physically do so), he turned his head to the side when the prince began yelling. He wanted to tell Arthur that he was yelling at nothing and that he was knee deep in water, but decided against it. _If the prat wants to go home soaked, that's all on him, _he thought humorously to himself.

_Throb._

Gods, he was in so much pain.

Merlin squinted his eyes. The lake looked so familiar, but the name escaped him. Its beauty – it reminded him of her. _Freya._ Eyes slightly widening as everything came back to him, he realized that they were at the Lake of Avalon.

Not needing to be told how desperate the situation was (Arthur would rather eats his shiny crown than be caught begging), Merlin slowly slid his left arm so that his hand barely touched the cold water.

_'Freya', _he called out to her mentally at the same time Arthur shouted her name.

A few moments of silence passed. The sun's light was a few yards away from him now and it was only a matter of time. The warlock knew to never give up hope but even he had to admit when he was beaten. Whether by bleeding to death or time running out, Merlin was sure he was going to die.

He closed his eyes in resignation, listening to the sound of his frantically beating heart.

_Thump-thump_

_...Thump-thump_

_...Thump...thump_

_\_A hand suddenly clamped on his, not causing any pain but comforting him instead. He smelled the sweet smell of strawberries as the other hand tenderly caressed his dirty face. "I'm here" it whispered to him. Smiling tiredly, tears cascaded down his face as he forced his eyes open to see his one true love, the woman whose heart had captured his.

"Freya"

* * *

Arthur would not let down. Precious minutes, that felt like hours, had passed since he first tried calling upon the Lady of the Lake's assistance. Every time he received no answer, the prince grew more and more frustrated. "Where is she" he mumbled to himself. Merlin couldn't afford to lose any more time - time that they had little to begin with in the first place. It wasn't until Arthur heard a faint whisper from behind that he stopped.

Fearing that something happened to his friend, the prince spun around to see a woman with dark hair in a long white dress leaning over the barely conscious warlock. On instinct, Arthur drew his sword and began advancing on the strange woman, ready to protect his friend no-matter the cost. Just before he reached her, Arthur paused and paid attention to this mysterious woman's features. His eyes widened when it clicked. Her hair, her eyes, the power and confidence her presence demanded. This was...

"Fear not Arthur Pendragon. I mean you no harm. I am only here to help" she said before turning her gaze back to look at the warlock

This was Freya, the woman Merlin fell in love with. Looking at her, the prince could see why. She was a beautiful young lady and her presence exuded kindness, compassion and authority, something that made her internal beauty shine. Arthur could see why Merlin loved her - they were so alike and complimented each other from the looks of it - and the prince could definitely see her and Guinevere getting along. Then, Arthur somberly remembered that Freya was, technically, dead and that she and Merlin could never be together. The prince internally wept for his best friend. _If I were to ever lose Guinevere..._

A painful moan snapped Arthur out of his thoughts. Turning to the couple, he saw Freya holding both of Merlin's blood stained hands, cherishing the time she was able to spend with him.

"Freya..." Merlin moaned, his breath was ragged while the bleeding chest wound throbbed.

"I'm here my love"

"I...I miss you..._so _much" he said, more tears falling down his face.

"And I you"

"...I'm so sorry...I couldn't save..." the warlock began but was stopped when a gentle finger was touched to his lips.

"No Merlin, do not blame yourself...Look, I'm right here. Everything will be alright"

By now, the sun's light had moved quickly and was a about a foot or two away from Merlin's side. He hissed in pain as his time drew nearer. Time was almost up. Arthur panicked and, after glancing at Freya, she was too (although she hid her anxiety better).

"I wish...I could be with you"

"I know, but you can't Merlin. Your time has not yet come. There is still much you have left to do. Without you, many would be lost. You cannot abandon them" Merlin was about to speak but Freya hushed him again.

Leaning down, Freya cradled Merlin's head, tilting it slightly at an angle before bending her head down to meet his. Her sweet lips inched nearer and nearer to his cold (almost lifeless) ones.

"I love you, with all my heart"

And in the most chaste but pure form of true love, the Lady of the Lake and the Powerful Warlock Emrys kissed as the sun's rays blessed them both.

* * *

**Spell Translation:**

_**Astrice! - **_**Strike severely**

**Cruel irony! Yes, Anatol turned into a wyvern. Part of me (and I'm sure most - if not all - of you would agree) wanted to kill her but seeing as she's my first OC, I couldn't bring myself to finish her off. So, I hope you like how her story ended.**

**Okay so I lied when I said that Kilgharrah wouldn't be back to 'save the day'. Well, technically, he didn't - Freya did - but that's beside the point. The Great Dragon's return just happened to fit perfectly with the story... so all you Kilgharrah the 'Magic Dragon' fans, here you go. He's back.**

**I know...in the midst of a life-or-death situation, our favorite warlock still has time to kiss his one true love. XD Anyways, this was my first kiss scene so I'm not too sure I did it justice. I hope I did though - I wanted it to be slightly dramatic and sad at the same time.**

**Like I said before, this is the last chapter but the epilogue will be up shortly. It'll show what actually happened with the kiss and we will return to Merlin telling the story (I bet you guys forgot that this is a story within a story). Thanks for all your support and I can't wait for Merlin Season 5 October 6th (I got the date right this time). XD**


	28. Epilogue - True Love's Kiss

**I want to thank everyone who has: read, reviewed, favorited, or followed (or all four) this story. You don't know how much your support has encouraged me to keep writing. So a final thanks to: Tolleren, brynerose, IndiaMoore, Starkid191, TeganL74, ric-oola-127, chocolatecake1, Boxerbee, TheReinbachDragonlord, and the Guest. You. Guys. Are. AWESOME!**

**Merlin Season 5 this Saturday (wait that's tomorrow)!**

**Disclaimer: For the last time for this story, I do not own Merlin.**

* * *

**Epilogue - True Love's Kiss**

"Eww" Aaron exclaimed in disgust, dragging out the last syllable and sticking out his tongue as if trying to get the nasty taste of Sir Gwaine's horrendous cooking out of his mouth.

"Aaron!"

"But Mother, Uncle Merlin kissed...a _girl_!" the young prince verbally defended himself.

Everyone except for Gwen (who still smiled to herself) laughed riotously at Aaron's obvious ignorance of the affairs of the heart.

"Father, will I be forced to kiss a girl? I don't want to"

The king let out a hearty laugh. "Only if you love her"

"Then I'm never kissing a girl" he proclaimed causing everybody, including the queen, to fill the room with laughter once again. "Ever"

"You know Aaron" Merlin started, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "your father had kissed a girl when he was around your age". At this, the young prince stared in horror at his father, as if this past action alone was the worst form of betrayal. "In fact, both your mother _and _father do it all the time". At this, the young prince made another gagging sound. Bending down and ignoring the glare from Gwen and the laughter from the others, the great Court Sorcerer leaned over and whispered, "And you know what - they enjoy it every single time"

Aaron's mouth was left hanging, the vile information proving too much for him to comprehend. The knights struggled to keep any form of encouragement for the warlock to continue with great effort. The Queen, in all her wisdom and grace, looked like she was going to throttle her best friend and any who would join him.

"You know Aaron" Gwaine started, "I've had my fair share of..."

"I _think_" Gwen interrupted, knowing Gwaine's rendition of kissing girls was _not_ going to be appropriate for the seven year-olds innocent mind, "it's time for bed Aaron"

"But I'm not tired" the prince managed to say through a yawn, instantly forgetting the horrendous news about the vile practice his parents had taken up. _What was Uncle Gwaine going to say anyway?..._he thought to himself. Aaron was about to voice his question out loud, but his mother didn't let him.

"You cannot fool me young man. Thanks to Uncle _Mer_lin, you've gone way past your bed time" the Queen admonished her son gently.

The prince looked with pleading eyes to the Court Sorcerer. "Uncle?..."

"Oh no. I'm not getting into _this_. Talk to your father"

Aaron sighed before looking to his father with the same pitiful eyes. "Father?..."

The king was about to answer (probably a 'yes, I see no reason why you can't stay up a bit more') when Gwen, standing behind her son, gave her husband the 'Eyes of Justice' (yes, Gwaine finally decided upon the name), causing a shiver to run down Arthur's spine. The others, noticing Gwen's famous stare down (and knowing they too would soon be the recipients of that same glare), quickly departed from the room with a 'good night' said in unison (Gwaine was already pushing his luck and he didn't fancy another lump on his already sore head). Merlin was the only one who stayed behind, really wanting to see what his best friend would do.

"Listen to your mother Aaron. It's off to bed with you" King Arthur recited.

With a dramatic sigh, Prince Aaron of Camelot, complaining childishly about being old enough to stay up and _not _being sleepy, sluggishly walked to his bed.

He was out cold before his head hit the pillow.

Merlin and Arthur quickly moved to the door to allow the prince to sleep, his mother quickly pecking a kiss on his forehead before she left to join them. Once they were out of ear shot, Merlin burst into laughter while Arthur looked indignantly at his friend.

"He is so _your _son Arthur. Stubborn just like his father"

"I am not"

"Come now Arthur. Lightning will strike you if you keep lying like that"

The King snorted. "Yes, like _that _actually happens"

"I_ could_ always strike you with lightning to make it a true statement"

"Like you would"

"Don't tempt me Arthur"

"The day you do, I will...", _zap, "...Mer_lin!"

"What, it was just a little jolt"

"I'll have your head for that"

"No you won't"

"Yes I would"

"Would not"

"Would too"

"Boys!" Gwen interrupted. "I think we should _all_ get some rest. And Merlin, I would appreciate it if you _don't_ fry my husband...tonight"

Merlin flashed his signature grin while the King, shaking his head in agreement at first, stopped with a "Hang on!" when he realized what she had said.

"I wouldn't dream of it 'Your Majesty'"

"Merlin..." Gwen said warningly. She hated when Merlin called her that.

"Okay okay" he said, hands raised in surrender, "I know when I'm not wanted"

"I doubt it" Arthur teased as Merlin turned around to head to his chambers.

"Fine. I'll go and leave you two love birds to your...personal business" he said while wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

"...Merlin!" Arthur, finally catching the inappropriate connotation, blushed furiously before looking at Gwen. To his horror, he found that she was laughing...at him. The King went to pick up the small inanimate object that always seemed to be conveniently set aside for him to throw at Merlin until he realized that they weren't in his chambers. The Court Sorcerer must of realized this, for he was laughing at Arthur, one hand holding his stomach while the other was pointing at him. Before Arthur could protest, a slipper hit Emrys square in the side of his head, immediately silencing both men.

"Merlin, don't think I've forgotten the things you told Aaron" she said warningly. "You know, I think I should..."

The Court Sorcerer panicked.

"Sorry Gwen, but it's...um...way past my curfew" Merlin rushed to say, trying to pull a convincing yawn. "Good night" and he left, leaving the Queen and King of the most powerful kingdom to journey to their chambers in peace and quiet.

"Why is it that he fears you more than me?" Arthur asked his wife.

"It's a secret my dear" she answered teasingly, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Then I guess I'll have to find out, my Lady"

"I will never tell, my Lord"

By now, they had reached their chambers. It took only a few moments for them to get changed into their nightclothes, but once they had, both Arthur and Gwen had snuggled into bed. Arthur was just about to fall asleep when...

"Merlin's a good story teller" Gwen said suddenly.

"Yeah. I didn't know Gwaine could keep his mouth shut for so long"

A moment of silence.

"I wish things turned out differently"

"How so?"

"Well, don't you ever wonder how happy he would be if he was able to be with _her_?"

"Yeah"

The Queen yawned. "He needs someone in his life"

"You know as well as I do that his heart only belongs to her"

"I know. I just wish there was something we could do" she finally said before letting the bliss of sleep take hold.

Unfortunately now Arthur, who before was beginning to doze off, was left fully awake to contemplate his wife's comment. Merlin was the only one out of the Round Table Knights who wasn't either married or courting. Even Gaius found love again when the ban on magic was lifted and his fiancé Alice returned to Camelot.

The King sighed, remembering the first kiss he had witnessed from his best friend.

* * *

_Just as Merlin and Freya kissed, the sun's light practically shot out from behind the trees, illuminating both of them with its glorious rays. All of a sudden, the water receded from the Lake of Avalon only to crash roughly against the shore. Like bees to honey, a stream of water detached itself and slithered its way to the lovers, latching onto the warlock's leg._

_The two lovers, still blissfully ignorant of the world around them as they kissed, didn't seem to notice the water flowing up Merlin's leg nor did the warlock himself feel the healing effects of the blessed liquid as it healed all his wounds, from the gaping hole in his chest to the decayed bone of his right shoulder. Even the black veins that throbbed under his skin vanished as if they never existed. But none of them noticed, too absorbed in the love they had for one another, knowing full well that they wouldn't see each after this for some time._

_Arthur just stayed and watched, witnessing one of the most extraordinary forms of true love he had ever seen, with tears in his eyes. Once the healing process was finished, it flowed back to the ground to rejoin the water that had formed underneath the couple. Merlin's eyes shot open to reveal gold irises as the liquid pushed both of them to a standing position. The water, tinged yellow by the sun, then rose to create a wall around the lovers, spiraling around them like a golden-liquid tornado. Too blurry to see and confused at what just happened, the prince was about to make his way to the couple._

_"Do not fret Arthur"_

_Arthur jumped at the ancient voice of the Great Dragon who he had forgotten was still with them. Kilgharrah was looking down, pity in his golden eyes._

_"What's happening?"_

_"Emrys and the Lady of the Lake's power are the most powerful magic ever to exist. When they come together like this, well...here__is the result"_

_"What do you mean 'like this'?"_

_The Great Dragon sighed. "The prophecies have always foretold of the love the Lady of the Lake would share with Emrys. They alone aren't just drawn to each other, but their magic is as well". Arthur gazed at the swirling waters in awe. "However, Destiny has cruelly seen it fit to keep them apart" Kilgharrah sighed heavily, knowing how much his kin had suffered and lost, "but when they do meet again, it is a sight to behold. To put it simply, their magic soars, unchained and free to be with that which makes it whole!"_

_Just as the prince's gaze returned to the awesome sight before him, a blinding light flashed and the water slowly descended and returned to the lake. Merlin, now fully clothed in a white shirt and new brown trousers (and looking more like a noble rather than a servant), and Freya (with now a rose in her hair) broke from their kiss, both of their eyes returning to their original color._

_"I love you" they said in unison, causing Arthur to smile. The prince coughed obnoxiously so, causing the couple to finally take note of his presence._

_"Kilgharrah, I didn't realize you were still here!" Merlin exclaimed joyfully. The prince gave an indignant glare to his friend, Kilgharrah roared in laughter (quite literally) while Freya giggled to herself before swatting Merlin's arm._

_"That wasn't very nice Merlin" Freya reprimanded gently._

_"The prat can take it"_

_"Um, I'm still here you know" Arthur complained._

_"I know"_

_"__**Mer**__lin...aren't you going to introduce me?"_

_The warlock smiled and beckoned the prince over. It wasn't until he saw her in the sunlight that Arthur remembered. This was the..._

_"It's a pleasure to meet you Arthur Pendragon" Freya greeted, holding out her hand._

_"...But we already did...didn't we?" the prince said solemnly before suddenly kneeling down, surprising both Merlin and Freya. The Lady of the Lake smiled sadly at Arthur before beckoning him to rise._

_"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I'm the one who..."_

_"I have never blamed you Arthur. In fact, we wouldn't be here if I hadn't become the Lady of the Lake"_

_Arthur gave a confused look which prompted Freya to explain how she and Merlin met and the events that followed after Morgana took over Camelot._

_"You have nothing to feel sorry for Arthur. Without you, I would still be under the witch's curse. So thank you"_

_Arthur took her hand and kissed it as he would do for a princess._

_"Hey, she's my girl!" Merlin said, trying to ease the tension the prince had created for himself. Sure enough, Arthur chuckled at his friend's 'over-protectiveness'._

_"Hello my Lady" Kilgharrah said while bowing his head to the Lady of the Lake. Freya curtsied before returning the greeting._

_Just then, the thunder of horse hooves sounded in the forest behind them. The knights came rushing in on their steeds only to find everyone perfectly fine. Tying their horses, they made their way to the group, all happy to see their best friend alive and well._

_Of course, Gwaine was the first among them to notice Freya. Quickly making his way through the group, he stood in front of her and..._

* * *

The King smiled, sleep threatening to take over.

He smiled at the memory of Gwaine flirting with Freya, obnoxiously so, _in front_ of Merlin.

He smiled at the memory of said flirtatious knight being magically lifted in the air and thrust into the lake by an annoyed warlock when he didn't heed his first ten warnings.

He smiled at the memory of the others being introduced to Freya (except for Gwaine) and how happy they were to see her...and how happy they were to see Merlin safe.

He smiled sadly at the memory of Freya and Merlin leaving, how she told him they wouldn't see each other for a long time.

He smiled when he remembered the journey home. The knights were joking like the brothers they were, excited and relieved to have Merlin back. Once they had returned to Camelot and were safe in the physician's quarters, Gaius had hugged his foster son so fiercely, the warlock looked like he was going to pass out. Then Gwen came in...

Arthur smiled as he recalled the resounding _smack _that reverberated throughout the room as Gwen's swift hand came down upon Merlin's unsuspecting head before she pulled him back into an embrace, all the while scolding him about hiding secrets and not coming to them before.

Then of course, Merlin sat down with them and explained everything.

Yes, Arthur smiled at all of these things before turning on his side facing Guinevere, her beauty showing even while she slept.

The King of Albion closed his eyes, still smiling. He had learned many things on this little adventure of theirs. However, there was one lesson that he would cherish forever.

No matter how bad things could get, no matter how dark the road ahead seemed...

He could always count on Merlin.

After all, that's what friends were for.

* * *

**Thanks again, all of you, for your wonderful support for this story. It's sad that this is over but I hope it was well worth the wait and read (despite how cheesy the ending may be). I know a lot of you were wondering if I'm going to write another story.**

**Although I'm flattered that y'all want me to write another story, I'm going to be taking a break from writing. I going to be transferring to another college come next year and I have a lot of work to do to make it happen. I **_**do **_**plan on writing another story (and possibly a short one-shot), but it probably won't be posted until 2013. Also, I want to see where the producers leave us in Merlin after the fifth season.**

**Speaking of which, I'm super excited for tomorrow! Merlin comes out and after seeing all the trailers and sneak peeks and previews (go to the Merlin Series 5 wiki page to see them), I think my mind just spontaneously exploded from the awesomeness! If any of you are in the UK, **_**please**_** (drops on knees to properly beg) post the episode on youtube for us US folks who would have to wait until January to see them.**

**So with that my fellow readers/writers, I thank you again for your wonderful support. It's been fun writing for you guys and I wouldn't have finished it without you.**

**Until much later,**

**-STL13**


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